- The collision of cabins with station barriers caused six non-critical injuries
- Emergency teams successfully evacuated approximately 100 stranded tourists via helicopter
- The operator cited a failure of the cabin to slow down as the primary cause
- The facility had recently undergone a two million euro renovation in 2023
On December 30, 2025, a significant cable car accident occurred near the village of Macugnaga in Italy’s Piedmont region, resulting in injuries to at least six individuals and requiring the evacuation of approximately 100 people. The incident took place around 11:25 a.m. when two cable car cabins failed to operate correctly, colliding with the system’s upper and lower stations. Following the collision, local authorities, including the Civil Alpine Rescue Service, police, and firefighters, were immediately deployed to the scene. Helicopters were utilized to assist in the evacuation of tourists stranded on the mountain, while the nearby ski slopes were closed and lift operations suspended to ensure public safety.
Filippo Besozzi, the managing director of the lift operator Macugnaga Trasporti e Servizi, provided insight into the technical cause of the malfunction. He stated that one of the cabins failed to slow down as intended, leading to an impact with a station barrier. despite the frightening nature of the collision, Besozzi confirmed that there were no life-threatening injuries. One 59-year-old man sustained a wound to his arm, while others suffered only minor grazes.
The infrastructure involved in this incident dates back to 1962 but had undergone a substantial refurbishment recently. In 2023, the system received new engines and cabins at a cost of €2 million, intended to modernize the facility and ensure passenger safety. This event adds to a concerning list of recent transport issues in the region, noting that a separate, more severe cable car accident occurred in April near Castellammare di Stabia, which resulted in four fatalities. The swift response of emergency teams in Macugnaga, however, prevented this recent technical failure from becoming a similar tragedy.
