A ski lift collapse at a resort in Spain’s Pyrenees mountains resulted in dozens of injuries and left skiers stranded mid-air on chairlifts.
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On Saturday, January 18, Spain’s Civil Guard announced via an X post that it was leading rescue efforts in coordination with other agencies, including Mountain Rescue. The operation took place at the Astún ski resort in the Aragon region after a chairlift line collapsed.
The Civil Guard also shared a video showing members boarding a helicopter and flying to the resort. One part of the video showed a large group of people gathered in the snow beneath stationary ski lifts. Another scene showed crowds waiting outside the resort as the ski lift was being repaired.
Colaboramos en las tareas de auxilio tras un accidente en la estación de esquí de Astún (Huesca) donde se ha descolgado una línea de telesilla de 15 metros de altura. Participan guardias civiles del Grupo de Rescate e Intervención en Montaña, Servicio Aéreo y Seguridad Ciudadana… pic.twitter.com/weioCLGGOc
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) January 18, 2025
Nearly 30 people were injured in the incident. However, no fatalities were reported, according to regional emergency services cited by CNN and The Guardian. Of the injured, ten were taken to the hospital. They included two in critical condition requiring “maximum priority” and two others needing “urgent attention,” as reported by the outlet.
Eyewitnesses Recount Ski Lift Disaster at Resort
Approximately 80 people were left stranded on chairlifts as emergency services arrived at the scene, per Reuters.
“It’s like a cable has come off. The chairs have bounced, and people have been thrown off,” one witness told a local outlet, according to Reuters.
“Suddenly, we heard a sound. We fell straight to the ground, inside the chair,” another witness, María Moreno, told local outlets. “We bounced up and down about five times. Our backs were quite sore, or we were hurt, but there were people who fell out of the chairs.”
Miguel Ángel Clavero, head of Aragon’s emergency services, stated that a ski lift failure caused the temporary closure of a ski station, with visitors evacuated to clear the area safely. The issue was linked to a breakdown in the lift’s tension system.
“In the first instance, as people are still on the lift, Guardia Civil officers, firefighters, and ski station workers are trying to get them down and to safety,” Clavero added.
“Shocked by the news of the accident at the #Astún station. I have spoken to the President of Aragon @Jorge_Azconto offer him the government’s full support,” Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X in Spanish.
“We send all our love to the injured and to their families,” Sánchez added.