Jammu and Kashmir: 286 tourists rescued in 6.5-hour Op after Gulmarg Gondola technical snag

GULMARG: A large-scale rescue operation at the Gulmarg Gondola concluded successfully on Monday after a technical malfunction left multiple cable car cabins stranded mid-air with tourists onboard.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, a total of 62 out of 65 cable cars were affected, while three were not in rotation. Of these, 52 cabins were occupied and 10 were empty at the time of the incident.

"Cable Cars Affected - 62/65 (3 not in rotation). Occupied 52. Parking 10. Cable Cars Evac from Phase 1 Side - 24. Persons evacuated - 148. Cable Cars Evac from Base Side - 22. Persons rescued - 138 (G Base). Total - 286. Gondola car evacuation in progress," the J&K Police said in an update on X.

Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat said that a massive multi-agency rescue operation successfully evacuated stranded tourists after a technical snag developed in the Gulmarg Gondola.

"This incident occurred this afternoon. We received information around 1:20 pm that a technical snag had developed in the Gulmarg Gondola. The SHO of Gulmarg arrived at the scene with his full station staff and personnel from the SOG. Subsequently, 15 teams from the SDRF were rapidly mobilised... Furthermore, 8 teams from our regular police's Mountain Rescue Unit arrived, as did our specialised 'Snow Leopard' teams," he told reporters.

He added that a large-scale rescue operation was launched involving a significant contingent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

"A massive rescue operation was launched here involving a very large contingent of the J&K Police. This rescue operation involved not only the Police and SDRF but also officers from the Indian Army's 9 Raj Rif (Rajputana Rifles), as well as the NDRF, which also arrived on the scene. Working in unison, everyone successfully evacuated the stranded tourists today," Prabhat added.

GOC 19 Division Major General Manoj Joshi said the operation began around 2:00 PM and continued for nearly 6.5 hours under challenging weather conditions, including rain and hailstorms. (ANI)

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