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Chairlift collapses in resort area in Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria

Six people were injured with five of them hospitalized

NALCHIK, August 8. /TASS/. A chairlift collapsed in a resort area in the Nalchik municipal district in Russia's Kabardino-Balkaria Region in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s directorate for the region said on its Telegram channel.

"At 5:45 p.m. (2:45 p.m. GMT - TASS) information was received that a chairlift collapsed in the resort area of the Nalchik municipal district. Russia’s Emergencies Ministry’s rescuers and all the emergency services were immediately dispatched to the site," it said in a statement.

Six people were injured with five of them hospitalized. All of them have sustained light or moderate injuries, Alexey Kuznetsov, aide to the Russian health minister, told journalists. He added that ambulance crews are on duty at the site of the accident.

According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s directorate for the region, 21 individuals were on the chairlift at the time of the incident.

First responders have evacuated all the remaining passengers from the chairlift, the Elbrus alpine search-and-rescue detachment of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said. Regional head Kazbek Kokov said on his Telegram channel that there had been no fatalities.

The emergency services told TASS that the wear and tear of cables was considered as the preliminary cause of the accident. "During the investigation, all other versions will be considered," a source in the emergency services said.

The Investigative Committee for the Kabardino-Balkaria Region said that a criminal case into the matter had been opened.