LYON, FRANCE — A routine morning transport at the popular French ski resort of Alpe d'Huez turned into a terrifying ordeal when a cabin carrying approximately 50 people collided with an articulated construction crane. The high-altitude accident left 23 people injured, including three individuals who suffered critical injuries.
The incident occurred as the "Pic Blanc" line cable car was exiting a station at an altitude of 2,300 meters (approx. 7,500 feet). According to local officials, initial investigations indicate that the crane operator had inadvertently lost track of the cableway cabin's proximity while operating nearby. The heavy impact caused the gondola cabin to tilt dangerously, sending passengers sliding across the interior.
Alpe d'Huez Mayor Jean-Yves Noyrey noted the intense fear experienced by those on board, stating that passengers believed they were facing imminent danger before the operator swiftly reversed the mechanism to level the cabin.
Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, treating multiple people for shock and concussions. While the majority of those hospitalized have since been discharged, three people remained hospitalized in critical condition. Local authorities and police have launched a formal investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and accountability surrounding the collision.
The collision has prompted a temporary suspension of operations along the Pic Blanc transit line while safety inspectors conduct structural integrity tests on both the cable car machinery and the support cables. Resort operators confirmed that technical experts are reviewing on-site safety protocols to establish why active heavy machinery was operating within the direct movement arc of the fully loaded cabin.
In light of the incident, regional alpine tourism boards have announced plans to perform comprehensive safety audits on all active construction projects located near operational ski lifts throughout the region. Local authorities expressed their sympathies to the injured visitors and assured the public that stricter safety buffer zones between heavy equipment and passenger lift systems will be enforced moving forward.
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