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CatastropheSwitzerland

One woman dead after gondola crashes in Swiss Alps

Athina Bohner with dpa, AFP
March 18, 2026

A 61-year-old woman died when a cable car crashed down a snowy mountain at a popular ski resort in the Swiss Alps. Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.

https://p.dw.com/p/5AeHm
Two gondolas standing still following the cable car crash in Engelberg, Switzerland (March 18, 2026)
The area in central Switzerland is known as one of the country's most popular ski resortsImage: Romina Amato/REUTERS

One person was killed on Wednesday when a cable car cabin plunged down the snowy slope of the Swiss mountains. 

The gondola, which was certified to carry eight people, was carrying only the 61-year-old woman who died in the accident at the popular Engelberg ski resort in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, authorities said. 

At approximately 2,000 meters (about 6,560 feet) high in the Alps, the altitude made it difficult for rescue workers to reach the scene and a helicopter was deployed.

Onlookers in front of bus coaches watch a military helicopter land near Titlis cable car station after the crash (March 18, 2026)
Some 2,000 meters up in the Alps, a helicopter was needed in the rescue operationImage: Romina Amato/REUTERS

'Unclear' cause of accident, police say

The cause of the crash is under investigation, police said.

"The circumstances that led to the accident are still unclear at this time," a police spokesperson said in the early evening.

The gondola apparently broke loose from its cable in strong winds, crashed, slid down the mountain, and rolled over several times before halting against a bush, according to reporting by the DPA news agency. 

The moment was filmed by an onlooker who provided the video footage to the Swiss newspaper Blick.

Police vehicle and sign near Titlis cable car station following the fatal crash (March 18, 2026)
A 61-year-old woman from the area died in the accident, police saidImage: Romina Amato/REUTERS

Between 100 and 200 people were traveling in other gondolas on the cable car route around the time that authorities were alerted to the accident.

Norbert Patt, CEO of the cable car company Titlis Bergbahnen, said that passengers were evacuated by the afternoon.

Concern around 'strong winds' warning

By then, the affected gondola and numerous others were closed, with some due to "strong winds," according to the ski resort's website.

The weather service MeteoSchweiz reported sunny conditions for Engelberg with temperatures around 8 degrees Celsius (about 46 degrees Fahrenheit) at noon. There was also a wind warning in place with "wind gusts in exposed locations above 1,800 meters" of up to 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour.

Edited by: Sean Sinico