The Army in Pakistan has launched a risky operation to rescue six schoolchildren and two others trapped in a chairlift at 900ft mid-air after a wire snapped in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to PTI, the incident occurred at around 8 am in the morning of Wednesday when the children were headed to school in Battagram district's Allai tehsil.
Mufti Gulamullah, chairperson of Allai tehsil reportedly said that locals run this chairlift to cross the river because no bridges or roads are built there, reportedly.
The National Disaster Management Authority has released a statement that says, "A chairlift stuck at a height of about 900 ft midway due to breakage in one of its cables in Battagram. Eight persons, including 6 children, (are) stranded," reportedly.
According to reports, the Pakistan Army Aviation helicopters and Pakistan Air Force are participating in the rescue operation along with the Special Services Group (SSG) troops.
The gusty winds in the area have complicated the operation, says the reports and also said that the blades of the helicopter used for rescue are destabilising the lift.
The Jhangri river flows below the chairlift and a rocky surface lies beneath, according to the reports.
Assistant Commissioner Jawad Hussain reportedly said, "The local administration along with Rescue 1122 teams were present at the spot, but due to the height and the hilly terrain, it was not possible for rescue officials to carry out a relief operation."
According to the reports, one of the people trapped in the chairlift identified as Gulfaraz (20) has said that they don't have drinking water with them currently.
Gulfaraz further told the media that there is a 16-year-old person with a heart condition in the chairlift with him who has been unconscious for the last three hours and was headed to the hospital today.
Reportedly, the first wire of the chairlift snapped at 7 am and another one snapped soon after and they have been waiting for help ever since.
Interim Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar has directed authorities to rescue the people and asked the national and provincial disaster management to use all resources available to ensure safety measures for similar cable cars in other areas of the country.
Kakar wrote on X, "The chairlift accident in Battagram, KP is really alarming."
According to reports, Zafar Iqbal who is a local school teacher said that at least 150 students use this risky journey to school every day due to the poor condition of road facilities there.
