A woman was killed when a ski gondola crashed down a snowy mountain at Engelberg ski resort in the Swiss Alps, local officials say.
Police in the central Swiss canton of Nidwalden reported that the gondola detached from the cable for reasons that are still unclear at about 11:00 (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses stated that strong winds were buffeting the mountainside at the time of the crash.
Dramatic videos showed the gondola tumbling down Mt. Titlis and flipping over several times before coming to rest.
Authorities later confirmed that the victim was a 61-year-old woman from the region. The cause of the crash is now under investigation.
Nidwalden canton police noted that the woman was alone in the Titlis Xpress ski gondola when it separated from the cable. The gondola had just departed from the Trübsee station and was ascending the middle section of the mountain when the accident occurred.
Emergency services, including air rescue and ambulances, responded quickly to the scene of the crash.
Another video circulating on social media depicted rescuers trekking through deep snow toward the crash site.
A skier commented on the phenomenon of extremely strong winds at the location, with police reporting gusts of over 80 km/h (50 mph). Normally, gondola services are suspended when winds exceed 60 km/h.
Witnesses shared their feelings of shock and fear following the incident, with one skier recollecting how his mother spotted the falling gondola just before it crashed.
The cable car service was subsequently halted, with reports indicating that between 100 and 200 passengers were safely evacuated from approximately 40 gondolas in the area.
The management of the ski lifts expressed their profound sense of loss, stating that their thoughts are with the victim's family and loved ones.
