A lift at Georgia’s Gudauri Ski Resort reportedly suffered an engine failure, resulting in a ropeway malfunction that caused lift chairs to careen backward towards the bottom turnstile at a high speed. Multiple skiers were thrown from the lift while some were caught underneath a detached chair. Others jumped from their chair as they approached the turnstile and crawled their way to safety.
Photo: Москва 24
Terrifying Chairlift Malfunction Spinning in Reverse Leaves Brutal Injuries
Skiers at the lift’s bottom could be heard yelling in a panicked manner for others to jump from their chairs, and for employees to stop the lift from running. Georgian Health Minister David Sergeenko confirmed at least eight injuries, according the news site Agenda.
“Among the injured are Swedish and Ukrainian citizens,” Sergeenko told Agenda. “Only two cases need to be monitored. One of the injured, a Ukrainian citizen, broke his hand during the incident, and has a small head injury, while a Swedish citizen is pregnant and feels pain in her waist.”
The two prominent injuries have been transported to Tbilisi for treatment. As of publication, there were no fatalities, and the remaining injuries were minor. Gudauri Ski Area sits at 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) and is part of Georgia’s Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. 