A helicopter from Peshawar has been sent to rescue eight school students and two teachers who have been stranded mid-air on a chairlift since morning in Allai Jhangray Pashto in Battagram district, witnesses and rescuers said.
One of the cables of the chairlift broke loose and eventually it stuck mid-air. The incident took place around 7am. The chairlift is stranded not less than 1,500 feet from ground.
Authorities swung into action with much delay.
On the intervention of the KP chief minister, a government-owned heliopcter has been depsatched to rescue the victims. He ordered exhausting all availabe resources to rescue the vicitms.
The District Emergency Officer said a team of procincial disaster management authority has been sent for rescue activities.He said it's almost impossible to rescue the victims without a helicopter.
A Rescue 1122 spokesman, Bilal Faizi said it would take up to two and half hours to reach the place.
Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq in his X post, said the chairlift accident in Battagram, KP is really alarming. "I have directed the NDMA, PDMA and district authorities to urgently ensure safe rescue and evacuation of the 8 people stuck in the chairlift," he said in the post.
"I have also directed the authorities to conduct safety inspections of all such private chairlifts and ensure that they are safe to operate and use."
