Four injured in accident as Austrian ski gondola collides in Hochoetz

A cable car accident at the Hochoetz ski resort in Tyrol, Austria has left four people seriously injured. The incident occurred when a tree reportedly fell onto the support cable of the gondola, causing it to plummet approximately 7m (23ft) at around 10:20am on Tuesday morning. The rescue operation proved to be a challenge due to the steep slope beneath the gondola, which made it difficult for emergency workers to reach the scene. It is believed that the four individuals involved in the accident are Danish citizens. Authorities have stated that there were no technical issues or signs of human error in relation to the cable car's route, called the Acherkogelbahn. Michaela Burger from the cable car company reported that the rescue chain functioned effectively and first responders arrived promptly, however, the challenging terrain hindered their efforts and helicopters faced difficulties in reaching the scene. The cause of the tree falling onto the support cable remains unclear. Multiple gondolas were attached to the support cable at the time of the accident, but none were impacted by the crash.