23 people injured in chairlift collapse in Sierra Nevada ski resort

23 people injured in chairlift collapse in Sierra Nevada ski resort
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By h.b. - Mar 2, 2009 - 6:16 PM

The fallen chairs - EFE

Snow and high winds in the area have complicated the rescue operation, and reports indicate that there are two seriously hurt

23 people were injured when the cable carrying one of the chairlifts came adrift from the top of one of the lift supports in the Sierra Nevada.

It happened at 1030am in the area used by beginner skiers, and a total of six chairs fell from a height of between six and eight metres. Each of the chairs can carry four people.

All the injured were first attended to in the Pradollano health center at the ski centre. They were all adults and two of the most seriously hurt were finally evacuated by helicopter to hospital in Granada when the weather allowed later in the day.

There are four others whose injuries are described as serious.
Most of those hurt were on a ski school course with Francisco González, an independent instructor who works in the Sierra Nevada, and are suffering from bruising and some broken bones.

Earlier the rescue operation had been complicated by snow – it had been snowing all morning and there were strong winds in the area.

The rest of the ski centre is operating normally, according to the managers Cetursa.

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