Helicopter rescues skiers from Italian lift

7th March 2015, by Abi Butcher

The skill of the mountain rescue team ensured none of the skiers were hurt

Nearly 200 skiers were successfully rescued when high winds struck a gondola in Val Gardena, Italy on Thursday afternoon.

Winds of up to 70mph blew a tree onto the cable of the Ciampinoi gondola in the Italian Dolomites. Skiers were stuck on the lift for hours, 30m above the ground before rescue teams including firefighters and helicopter were called to the scene.

The helicopter rescue team successfully winched nearly 200 skiers from 20 cabins in an operation that lasted several hours.

Remarkably, no one was injured, despite the rescue taking place during freezing temperatures and storm-force winds.

Watch video footage of the dramatic rescue in Val Gardena

• ski
• italy
• dolomites
• cable car
• gondola
• rescue
• helicopter

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