Criminal probe opened against two cable car staff over Engelberg gondola crash

A 61-year-old woman died in a cable car accident in the Engelberg-Titlis ski resort in central Switzerland after a cabin crashed down a snowy mountainside on March 18. The woman was alone in the gondola, Keystone-SDA

The Office of the Attorney General of canton Nidwalden has opened a criminal investigation into two employees of Titlis Bergbahnen as part of the probe into the March 18 cable car accident in the Swiss ski resort of Engelberg.

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The two lift company employees are suspected of negligent homicide and disruption of public transport, it was reported on March 27.

On March 18, a gondola cabin of the Titlis Xpress ski lift detached from the cable between Lake Trübsee and the mountain station of Stand and crashed down the mountainside. A 61-year-old woman alone inside the cabin was killed.

It has since been reported that the gondola cabin was pushed by an unexpectedly violent gust of wind against a pylon and the impact dislodged the clip that secured the cabin to the cable.

Nidwalden prosecutors say they have extensive evidence and clues as to what happened. These include technical and operational documents and weather data. In addition, witnesses and those involved have been interviewed.

Investigators suspect that the operating company may have made mistakes. There is a suspicion that, given the poor weather conditions, due diligence obligations were violated, prosecutors say.

Criminal proceedings have therefore been initiated against a technical manager of Titlis Bergbahnen and another company employee. The aim is to check whether safety regulations and procedures were carefully observed.

The Nidwalden investigating authorities are in touch with the Swiss Security Investigation Service (SISI) and other specialised authorities.

Adapted from Italian by AI/ts

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