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J. González
Huesca
Saturday, 18 January 2025, 17:32
An chairlift accident at the Astún ski resort in the Huesca Pyrenees in northern Spain this Saturday, 18 January, left at least 30 people injured, several of them very seriously. The condition of a woman, who has been rushed to the Miguel Servet hospital in Zaragoza by helicopter for surgery, is a particular cause for concern.
In the images that are being shared via various social media networks, it can be seen how the cable that supports the chairs has slackened and has derailed in some sections, leaving them almost at ground level. At the moment the cause of the incident is unknown, although it seems that at least one chairlift has come unhooked due to a problem in the cable. A helpline for worried relatives of the injured has been set up on 00 34 976 715 980.
The regional government of Aragon has confirmed that four helicopters have been activated: one from Zaragoza, one from Teruel, one from the Guardia Civil and one from Navarra. In addition, officials said that the 061 emergency health service has reinforced all its resources in the area. All hospitals in the area have been put on alert to receive the injured, especially the ones closest: Jaca, Huesca, Miguel Servet, Clínico Universitario, Royo Villanova and Barbastro."Extra medical staff will go to where they are most needed," they said.
Accidente en Astún. Se ha caído la silla de Canal Roya. Por suerte estamos bien pero hay heridos, hemos visto varias camillas bajando. Ánimo. #Astun pic.twitter.com/KiwVUrvCRQ
— Jaime Pelegrí (@jaimepele) January 18, 2025
According to the first indications, the Canal Roya pulley failed and the cable got stuck. "It is too early to say exactly, but the station had passed all the inspections," said Jorge Azcón, president of the Aragón region.
In the images that users of the resort are sharing on social media, the speed of the accident can be seen. "A cable came loose from the chairlift when it was about four metres off the ground. Some children were thrown off by the strong jolt and the violent swing," explained Carlos Iraola, a skiing enthusiast, speaking to SUR's sister newspaper Diario Vasco. "They didn't have time to react. Other people opted to jump to the ground in fear. Suddenly everything was chaotic," he said.
Among the many messages of support that are being posted on the social media network X, the one from Spain's PM Pedro Sánchez stands out, in which he said he is "shocked by the news of the accident at the Astún resort" and in which he confirms that he has spoken to the President of Aragón, Jorge Azcón, to offer him "all the support of the Spanish government".
Coincidentally, the Aragón regional government leader together with his finance minister, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, were skiing in Formigal and have gone to the scene of the accident.
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