Spain Many injured in ski lift accident in winter paradise
Many people have been injured in a chairlift accident in north-eastern Spain. Two 18-year-old Spanish women had to be flown to hospitals in the regional capital of Zaragoza due to their critical condition, according to the government of the Aragon region.
18.01.2025, 22:28
SDA
A total of ten people were injured in the accident at the Astún ski resort in the Pyrenees, it said. No Germans were among them, the authorities confirmed on request.
The rescue work at the remote accident site in the province of Huesca dragged on for several hours in the afternoon. They have now been completed, according to Aragon's head of government Jorge Azcón. The exact cause of the accident is being investigated.
Heart-rending screams
Within seconds, the idyllic winter paradise was transformed into a place of horror: some people fell from a height of 15 meters when, according to the information available, a component came loose at around 12.00 noon and the structure partially collapsed. Eyewitnesses reported heart-rending screams. The ski station was closed immediately.
Many people were still trapped at lofty heights hours after the accident. They were gradually roped down or rescued by helicopter. According to a report by TV station RTVE, dozens of ambulances and five helicopters were on site.
Some people were able to save themselves by jumping - like Maria Moreno. In an interview with RTVE, the Spaniard described the chaotic moments: "I was in the elevator with my father when it suddenly jerked. Some fell headfirst, others rolled down the slopes."
She herself jumped off at the last moment and alerted the emergency services. "The seriously injured were probably mostly hit by the falling construction," Moreno speculated.
Psychologists looked after traumatized visitors
The terrible news also caused concern at the Palacio de la Moncloa government palace in Madrid. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences on social media: "I am deeply shocked by the news from Astún. Our thoughts are with the injured and their families." Aragon's head of government Azcón even rushed to the scene of the accident.
The surrounding hospitals were put on high alert. In addition to the two seriously injured young women, who according to official information are the most serious concerns and were in intensive care, a 67-year-old woman and a young girl were also still being treated in hospital on Saturday evening.
In addition to members of the emergency services, the police and the fire department, psychologists were also deployed in Astún to care for the traumatized visitors to the ski resort. "We are doing everything in our power", assured the head of the regional emergency services, Miguel Ángel Clavero, on television.
The ski lifts in Aragon are considered safe
The ski resorts in the Spanish Pyrenees are very popular in winter, especially with local tourists, but also with foreigners. Accidents with fatalities are not uncommon there. Most recently, there were three accidents in 2022 with a total of three fatalities. However, these accidents usually happen while skiing - the ski lifts are considered safe.
The Astún ski resort emphasized in a communiqué that it had all the necessary permits and inspection certificates. After the accident, all users were evacuated within two and a half hours. The resort is due to reopen on Sunday, it said.
