Latest footage of #Battagram Chairlift rescue operation, 2 teachers and 7 students are there inside the cabin. Pak Army doing rescue ops…. pic.twitter.com/WvCTqOWRMr
— Syed Wiqas Shah ترمذی (@SyedWiqasAhmad1) August 22, 2023
The Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group (SSG) has launched a rescue mission to help eight people, including six schoolchildren, who were stranded mid-air after a chairlift cable broke in Allai Tehsil in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram district on Tuesday. The rescue effort is being carried out in collaboration with Pakistan Army Aviation and the Pakistan Air Force, both of which are deploying helicopters in conjunction with SSG forces.
The chairlift, which was suspended across a ravine, became ensnared when one of its cables snapped, leaving it dangling by a solitary cable. The rescue operation has been complicated by turbulent winds in the vicinity and the potential for helicopter rotor blades to exacerbate the instability of the chairlift.
Initial reconnaissance was performed by one helicopter, which subsequently returned. Another chopper is scheduled to be dispatched shortly. The approach of the Pakistan Army’s rescue helicopter caused the chairlift to sway, heightening the risk of imbalance.
#Battagram Chairlift Rescue operation underway. A commando of the sling team from a helicopter took access to the chair lift very skillfully 8 hours after the incident pic.twitter.com/Isvuonzix0
— Mughees Ali (@mugheesali81) August 22, 2023
Contemplation of alternative, albeit risky, rescue strategies, including a sling operation executed by the SSG team, is also underway. Retired Wing Commander Asim Nawaz advocated for the immediate commencement of the sling operation, which involves airborne maneuvers for transporting large loads over challenging landscapes. In addressing potential weather concerns, Nawaz noted that maintaining a distance of 60 to 80 feet between the helicopter and the chairlift during the operation could be beneficial. During the sling operation, a commando will draw closer to the chairlift to facilitate the rescue process.
Situated at an elevation of two thousand meters, the chairlift incident in the Pashto region of Battagram unfolded around 8:30 AM, as reported by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Positioned amidst the mountains, the chairlift traverses a rainwater channel, as highlighted by the PDMA. The passengers left stranded in the chairlift include schoolchildren who relied on it for transportation to their school in the rugged terrain of Battagram.
Sonia Shamrose, the district police officer, conveyed that concerted efforts are underway to liberate the individuals trapped in the chairlift.
Zafar Iqbal, a school teacher, revealed that the students were employing the chairlift as a means of commuting to school. He disclosed that approximately 150 children from the region utilize the chairlift for their daily school journeys. Iqbal confirmed that two cables of the cable car malfunctioned while the lift was suspended mid-air.
In response to the situation, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar deemed the incident disconcerting, issuing directives to the NDMA and PDMA to swiftly orchestrate a secure rescue operation to extricate the eight individuals ensnared in the chairlift.
The chairlift accident in Battagram, KP is really alarming. I have directed the NDMA, PDMA and district authorities to urgently ensure safe rescue and evacuation of the 8 people stuck in the chairlift.
— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 22, 2023
I have also directed the authorities to conduct safety inspections of all such…
Prayers for the safe and successful ongoing rescue operation in Battagram. Here is the list of those students who are stuck.
