Photo: Orcieres-Merlette
Dozens of skiers were trapped on a lift in a resort in the French Alps, with some having to be winched to safety by rescue helicopters before the rest could be freed.
The incident took place at the Orcières-Merlette resort, located in Hautes-Alpes, France. On Wednesday January 14, a lift servicing several of the resort’s high-altitude runs malfunctioned while transporting skiers up the mountain, as Connexion France reports. In all, 56 guests were left trapped on the lift, some very far off the ground.
The local mountain rescue unit was notified, and they mobilized two rescue teams to begin evacuating skiers. Of the 56, 13 were retrieved via helicopter, with rescuers lowered by winch to collect the trapped guests.
After an hour and 15 minutes, the lift was repaired and the remaining skiers were able to reach the slopes unassisted.
