Investigation into Liberec cable car accident indicates more factors at play

The investigation into the cable car accident on Ještěd mountain near Liberec will be complicated and may take over half a year, Jan Kučera, Inspector General of the Czech Railway Inspectorate, said on Monday. He said that according to initial findings the immediate cause of the accident was a broken suspension cable, but that alone should not have caused the cabin to fall. It fell from a height of 30 meters killing the cabin operator who was alone in it on impact. Rescuers evacuated 13 passengers and an employee from the second cabin.

The fatal accident came a day before a scheduled break in service for a safety inspection and routine maintenance work ahead of the winter season. Police have initiated criminal proceedings for negligence.