Two British tourists among four killed in Naples cable car crash

Two British tourists, including one woman are among four people killed after a cable car crashed to the ground near Naples on Thursday, Italian officials said.

So far only two of the three foreign victims have been identified since the incident yesterday, Marco De Rosa, the spokesperson for the mayor of Vico Equense, said.

Three of the four victims were foreign tourists, including a British and Israeli woman.

Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into multiple manslaughter and culpable disaster.

A fifth person, also believed to be a foreign tourist was injured and taken to hospital.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are dealing with an incident in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities. Our thoughts are with those affected.”

“Our staff are available 24/7 to support British nationals abroad.”

The cable car, travelling up Monte Faito, near the town of Castellammare di Stabia, fell after a traction cable broke and struck a pylon.

The snapped cable brought the cable cars in both directions to a halt causing the upwards cable car to crash while eight tourists and an operator were evacuated from the downward cable car.

Rescuers reach the smashed cable car on Mount Faito. / Credit: AP

Castellammare Mayor Luigi Vicinanza, said: “The traction cable broke. The emergency brake downstream worked, but evidently not the one on the cabin that was entering the station.”

He added that there will be a day of mourning and decided to cancel all initiatives for the Easter holidays with a minute’s silence to be held on Friday in memory of those who died.

Firefighters, police and Italy’s alpine rescue were sent to the scene, which is between the popular tourist areas of Pompeii and Sorrento.

Italy’s National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps said the response was made difficult by dense fog and thick vegetation in the area.

EAV public transport firm, which runs the cable car, said the service had reopened a week ago with all the required safety conditions.

Checks were being carried out by investigators on the cable car and the possibility that strong wind was among the causes of the incident.

The cable car is popular with tourists for its views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences for the victims and their families and said she was in touch with rescuers.