RANCHI: The toll in the ropeway accident in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district rose to two on Monday while 13 were still stuck mid-air when rescue operations were suspended at night.
It however resumed on Tuesday morning at Trikut hills. Three persons were rescued today. About a dozen people have yet to be airlifted.
A woman who was rescued on Sunday succumbed to her injuries on Monday morning while a man died on Monday evening after falling into the valley while being rescued.
Officials said his safety belt broke when he was being airlifted to the helicopter.
The accident occurred when cable cars collided with each other due to a faulty ropeway system at Trikut Hills in Jharkhand’s Deoghar, on Sunday evening, seriously injuring the tourists on board. Two helicopters, Mi-17 and Mi-17 V5 of Indian Air Force, were deployed to rescue the stranded people.
So far, 35 tourists were rescued by the NDRF, Indian Air Force, ITBP and state police.
Thirteen people are still waiting to be rescued in two cable cars, officials said. Food packets, water and other relief materials were arranged for them by the district administration.
Two state ministers and several government officials are camping at the site.
“We are taking help from the NDRF, Air Force and other experts to rescue the people who are stuck on the ropeway. Though the rescue operations could be started only in the morning, all efforts are being made on war footing to rescue the stranded people,” said Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
According to officials, the collision took place due to a technical snag in the ropeway.
State Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta said a high-level probe will ordered and those responsible for the lapse will not be spared.
Meanwhile, the BJP termed the incident a result of inefficiency of the state government as the maintenance work of the ropeway was due for the past two years.
