A mechanical failure on Easter Sunday turned a scenic ride into a tense ordeal at the Monte di Mezzocorona cable car, where 12 guests were briefly left suspended high above the valley after a sudden breakdown halted operations. The incident occurred on April 5 in Mezzocorona, a small alpine town north of Trento, Italy, known for its dramatic cliffs and panoramic views over the Adige Valley. According to local officials, technicians quickly activated the lift’s emergency recovery system, allowing both cabins to descend safely back to the station within minutes. All passengers were returned unharmed.
“Breakdowns can happen, but the response was as quick as possible,” city councilor Paolo Gabrielli stated, who praised the rapid intervention. While the immediate fault was resolved, the malfunction forced operators to shut down the cable car for technical inspections, leaving around 120 visitors stranded atop the plateau. With the lift out of service, local volunteer firefighters launched a coordinated evacuation effort, deploying eight vehicles to shuttle the visitors back down to the valley.
Over roughly two hours, all stranded visitors were safely transported down to the valley. Gabrielli later thanked rescue crews and lift operators, including company president Alois Furlan, for their coordination and professionalism.
The Monte di Mezzocorona cable car is not part of a ski area but rather gives access to a alpine hiking area in South Tyrol/Alto Adige. The cable car is a popular tourist attraction with its steep ascent of 900 vertical meters (nearly 3,000 feet) from the valley floor to the plateau in a single span. The mountain area features several hiking trails, a skywalk, and a 123-meter (404-foot) suspension bridge that can be reached with a 20-minute walk from the cable car top station.
