Battagram (Web Desk): Battagram cable car rescue mission successfully ends as all eight passengers — seven schoolchildren and a local person were rescued.
Earlier today, an open cable car became stranded halfway across a ravine and was hanging by a single cable after the other snapped, leaving eight people stuck inside for more than 15 hours.
Before sunset, two of the children were rescued with the help of an army helicopter but the operation via copter was suspended due to darkness and the windy weather.
The army later started a ground operation — led by SSG's general officer commanding (GOC) — to retrieve the remaining five people on the cable car with alternative means.
The sources said that said that another cable car, smaller in size, has been hung on the same cable to retrieve the remaining five students and a teacher.
Helicopters of Pakistan Army Aviation and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are participating in the rescue operation along with the SSG troops.
The armed forces began a rescue operation in Khyber Pakhunkhwa’s Battagram where eight people including six schoolchildren stranded in a cable car after two of its wires snapped early morning on Tuesday.
According to reports, the children were headed to school when the incident occured at around 8am.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar directed the rescue agencies to ensure immediate evacuation of eight school children and teachers stranded in a chairlift.
The premier directed National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and all other relevant rescue agencies to utilize all out resources to ensure safe rescue of the students and teachers, the Radio Pakistan reported.
He instructed to ensure safety arrangements on all such chairlifts in hilly areas.
The prime minister also directed to immediately close all such chairlifts that were in poor and dilapidated conditions.
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Earlier, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated that coordination support has been provided to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to rescue eight persons including six children, stuck at a height of 900 feet in a chairlift due to breakage of its cable in Battagram.
According to a press release issued by the NDMA, Army helicopter has been dispatched for rescue operation.
Safety audit has been asked from all Provincial Disaster Management Authorities by the NDMA on tourist infrastructure in their respective areas.
A team of Special Services Group (SSG) has been dispatched to participate in the sling operation to rescue the stranded people at Battagram chairlift.
"All resources are being utilized by Pakistan Army to rescue the persons struck in the chairlift, " the NDMA said.
Another army helicopter also reached Battagram to participate in chairlift rescue operation.
