- Title: ITALY: TANGLED CABLE BELIEVED TO BE CAUSE OF WORLD'S WORST CABLE CAR DISASTER.
- Date: 13th March 1976
- Summary: 1. LV AND SV search teams and dogs looking for missing person (2 shots) 0.10 2. LV PAN AND CU debris from crashed cable car (4 shots) 0.26 3. GV EXTERIOR hospital. 0.32 4. SV INTERIOR survivor in bed 0.37 5. GV PAN EXTERIOR Cavalesi church 0.42 6. LV AND INTERIOR Relatives looking at coffins on floor and floral tributes (4 shots) 0.56 7. SV AND CU relatives at coffins and sprinkling holy water on coffins. 1.12 8. SV relatives sprinkling holy water on coffins (3 shots) 1.30 Initials RH/1900 RH/AB/MR/1925 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th March 1976 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CAVALESE, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVABMBEKT0R58UJVA592EP0TOH88
- Story Text: It is believed that the world's worst cable car accident, which claimed 42 lives in Cavalese, Italy, last Tuesday (9 March), was caused by the traction cable becoming entangled with the support cable of the car.
Most of the victims, including 11 children, died when the cable snapped and the car plunged 150 feet (50 meters) to the ground near the Dolomites Ski resort.
There was only one survivor - 14 year old girl Alessandra Piovesana. Although she was seriously injured latest hospital reports say she is out of danger. Police hope that when she is well enough to be interviewed she will be able to tell them what happened.
On Saturday (13 March) police were still searching for 39 year old Italian, Fabio Rustia, whose family was killed in the crash. He was believed to have been with them but his body has not yet been found.
In a statement issued on Saturday the makers of the cable car involved, Falck-Acciaierie E Ferriere Lombarde of Milan, said the only plausible reason for the accident could be the entanglement theory. Grooves on the snapped cable and signs of intense heat supported this the statement said.
After the bodies of those killed had been identified they were taken to the local church at Cavalese to await burial.
SYNOPSIS: Cavalese in Italy where on Saturday police were still searching for thirty nine year old Italian, Fabio Rustia, whose family was killed in the disastrous cable car accident which claimed forty two lives near this Dolomite Mountains ski resort on Tuesday. Rustia was thought to have been with his family but his body has not been found.
The only survivor of the crash is in this hospital recovering from her traumatic experience. Fourteen year old Alessandra Piovesana was seriously injured but doctors say she is now out of danger and police are hoping she will be able to tell them what happened.
Of the victims eleven were children and another twenty Germans visiting Cavalese for a skiing holiday. They were travelling to the ski slopes when the cable of their car snapped, spilling them onto the mountainside a hundred and fifty feet below.
Most were killed instantly but five died later of their injuries.
In a statement issued on Saturday the makers of the cable car involved, said they believed the accident had been caused by the traction cable becoming entangled with the support cable of the car.
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