Two Dead, Dozens Trapped After Cable Cars Collide Mid-Air in India - Video

The Trikut ropeway is a popular tourist attraction in the state of Jharkhand. It is India's highest vertical ropeway with a maximum lens angle of 44 degrees. The 766-metre-long ropeway has 25 cabins for tourists with a capacity to accommodate four persons in each.

At least two people have died with 48 more believed to be injured and trapped after two cable cars in a ropeway collided in the Trikut hills, close to the Baba Baidyanath Temple in Jharkhand's Deoghar, a police officer told local media outlets on Monday.

Several people got stuck in a ropeway trolley due to a mishap.

Of the 11 people rescued yesterday, one declared dead. 48 still trapped. @IAF_MCC is involved in the rescue operation. ITBP & @NDRFHQ teams are also present: DC Deoghar, Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/VKKlasfW9P

— Prasar Bharati News Services पी.बी.एन.एस. (@PBNS_India) April 11, 2022

@IAF rescue ops in Jharkhand Devghar pic.twitter.com/F8jziSGdLk

— Amresh Srivastava (@amreshsrivastav) April 11, 2022

The incident was reported on Sunday, and a rescue operation is still going on, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) assisting in the rescue effort. On Sunday, a total of eight people were evacuated of which two women died during treatment. As of Monday afternoon, 11 people have been saved.

Two Indian Air Force choppers have also been called for assistance.

#WATCH | 8 people have been rescued so far in the rescue operation. 40 more persons are yet to be rescued from ropeway site near Trikut in Deoghar, Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/rLt7ys0iLB

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2022

Prima facie, the incident appears to have occurred due to a technical snag, said Deoghar Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri, adding that at present they're more focused on rescue operations, and a probe will be initiated after the operation ends.

The official said that the ropeway was operated by a private company whose operators fled after the incident.