A British couple from Market Harborough, Leicestershire, were among four people killed when a cable car wire snapped and brakes failed just seconds before reaching the summit of Monte Faito, near Naples, Italy, on Thursday.
Graeme Winn, 65, and Elaine Winn, 58, both members of a local bikers group, were visiting Italy as tourists when the tragedy struck. The crash also claimed the lives of an Israeli national and the Italian cable car operator. A fifth person, also from Israel, was critically injured and airlifted to a Naples hospital.
The disaster unfolded around 3 p.m. as the cable car, carrying five people, was just 20 seconds from arriving at the mountain station. According to the mayor of Castellammare di Stabia, Luigi Vicinanza, the cable snapped for reasons still under investigation, and the cabin’s brakes failed to engage, causing the car to plummet down the slope rather than falling straight down.
Rescue operations were hampered by dense fog and strong winds, but emergency teams managed to evacuate 16 stranded passengers from another cable car using harnesses and helicopters. The cableway, a popular tourist attraction with panoramic views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, had reopened just a week earlier after its winter break.
Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation into possible manslaughter and culpable disaster. The mayor declared a day of mourning and canceled all Easter events in the town. Flowers and candles now mark the steps outside the local railway station, as the community mourns the victims.
The EAV public transport company, which operates the cable car, stated that all required safety checks had been completed before reopening. Investigators are examining whether strong winds contributed to the accident.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed condolences from Washington, D.C., where she was meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. The UK Foreign Office confirmed support for the victims’ families and ongoing contact with Italian authorities.
Key Facts:
- Four dead: two British tourists, one Israeli national, and the Italian operator
- Accident occurred just before reaching the mountain station
- Brakes failed after cable snapped; cause under investigation
- Sixteen rescued from a second stranded cable car
- Service had reopened only a week prior after seasonal closure
Quote:
“The cable snapped for an unexplained reason. The emergency brake at the valley station worked, but apparently, the cabin’s brake did not.”
— Luigi Vicinanza, Mayor of Castellammare di Stabia
The tragedy has raised urgent questions about cable car safety and maintenance in Italy’s popular tourist regions.
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