Jharkhand Cable Car Accident: Rescue Op Concludes on 3rd Day; 56 Rescued, 3 Dead

The operation to rescue people stuck mid-air in Jharkhand's Trikut hills was completed 46 hours after it began on Tuesday, 12 April, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said.

(Photo: PTI)

The operation to rescue people stuck mid-air in Jharkhand's Trikut hills was completed 46 hours after it began on Tuesday, 12 April, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said. Of a total of 59 people stuck, 56 people have been rescued, while three people have died, District Collector Manjunath Bhajantri said in a statement on Tuesday.

The accident had taken place on 10 April, wherein cable cars on a ropeway collided with each other.

"The rescue operation of Trikoot mountain accident has been completed. Unfortunately we lost some people in this accident. I salute the jawans and administration of Airforce, Army, NDRF and ITBP who are risking their lives to help the people. Will get done a high level inquiry into the matter soon," Soren said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday took suo moto cognisance of the incident and ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Woman Dies After Falling During Airlift

Reports said that the woman who was seen falling from a rescue chopper, in the second such mishap since Monday, was the third casualty in the incident. She was rushed to Sadar Hospital in a critical condition, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Earlier in the day, CM Soren had said that the woman was still alive, despite the chilling fall captured on video.

On Monday evening, a man named Rakesh Mandal had died after he fell from a helicopter due to a broken safety belt while being rescued. The man fell more than a thousand feet and died on the spot.

Rescue operations by the Indian Air Force had been underway at the site. As many as 10 people were rescued since Tuesday morning, as per the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a statement on Tuesday morning, said, "So far 10 people have been rescued, including sisters and small children, in the triple operation that started early in the morning. We will be able to rescue everyone in the next few hours."

"Rescue operation had been started by the team of Air Force, Indian Army, NDRF, ITBP, and local administration for the people trapped during the ropeway journey on Trikut mountain early morning, so that the remaining trapped people can be rescued," the district collector of Deoghar said on Tuesday.

The collision between the two cable cars had taken place at 4:30 pm on Sunday. Water and food was provided to the trapped people with the help of drones, as per officials.

Personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the National Disaster Response Force were also engaged in bringing those stuck to safety. Two Mi-17 helicopters were involved in rescue operations at the site of the accident near the Baba Baidyanath Temple.

Court, Govt Order Inquiry

Meanwhile, CM Soren has ordered a high-level investigation into the ropeway accident. "I express my deepest condolences on the incident on Trikut mountain and the deaths in it. There will be a high-level inquiry into the matter," he said in a tweet.

On Tuesday, the court asked the state to file a detailed inquiry report through an affidavit. The court will hear the matter on 26 April.

The incident appears to have occurred due to a technical snag resulting in collision of cable cars, an official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI, adding, however, the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.