The Indian Army and local authorities rescued tourists stranded in mid-air after a technical fault halted the Gulmarg gondola on Monday, May 25, 2024 [1].
The incident highlights the inherent risks of high-altitude tourism infrastructure and the critical role of military coordination in emergency civilian rescues in the region.
A technical fault in the cable car system caused 65 gondola cabins to stop moving [1]. The malfunction left passengers hanging at high altitudes, sparking panic among those trapped in the cars [3].
An emergency response team comprising the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local administration officials launched the rescue operation [1, 2]. The teams worked to evacuate passengers from the stranded cabins using specialized high-altitude techniques [2].
Reports on the number of affected tourists vary. One report said that 80 tourists were evacuated [1], while another source said that over 300 tourists were rescued [4].
The duration of the operation also differed by source. The rescue lasted between six [4] and seven hours [2] before all passengers were safely brought to the ground.
No casualties were reported following the evacuation. The multi-agency effort ensured that those trapped in the 65 cabins were removed from the cable system safely [1].
“A technical fault in the cable car system caused 65 gondola cabins to stop moving.”
This incident underscores the vulnerability of tourism infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir's rugged terrain. The reliance on the Indian Army for civilian rescue operations demonstrates that military readiness remains a primary safety net for the region's tourism industry, where technical failures in extreme environments can quickly escalate into life-threatening situations.
