A child has described the “horrific” moment a cable car line snapped in Pakistan, leaving eight people dangling over a 274m (900ft) river canyon for more than 15 hours.
All eight – seven youngsters, aged between 11 and 15, and their teacher – became trapped during the incident which took place as they were on their way to school.
Two of the children were rescued in the daytime by army commandos using helicopters before the rest were also saved one by one during an even riskier night-time operation.
Extraordinary drone footage also showed those stuck on the cable car.
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Imran Ahmed, one of those trapped for hours, said: “When the cable car [was] stuck in between it was [a] very horrific moment.
“Everyone was so scared. We were thinking that our time has come, we were think[ing] either we survived or not.
“I never ever again [want to] sit in a cable car. I will prefer to go by foot. We really need roads for connectivity.”
Other schoolchildren rescued from the broken cable car said they also repeatedly feared death was imminent during the ordeal.
Osama Sharif, one of those rescued, said: “I had heard stories about miracles, but I saw a miraculous rescue happening with my own eyes.”
The 15-year-old had been heading to school to receive the results of his final exams, when the cable snapped.
Children are rescued from the stricken cable car. Pic: Rescue 1122 Hazara
“We suddenly felt a jolt, and it all happened so suddenly that we thought all of us are going to die,” he said in a telephone interview.
Some of those on board the cable car started making calls on their mobile phones, while worried parents tried to reassure the children.
“They were telling us ‘don’t worry, help is coming’,” said Osama.
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After several hours, the children then saw helicopters flying nearby.
Thousands of people turned out to watch the risky rescue operation on Tuesday.
A video showed a rope lowering from a helicopter swaying wildly as a child, secured by a harness, was pulled up.
Children receive first aid after they were rescued from the stranded chairlift. Pic: Rescue 1122/Reuters
In fact, the aircraft added an element of danger. The air currents churned up by their whirling blades risked weakening the only cable preventing the cable car from crashing to the bottom of the river canyon.
“We cried, and tears were in our eyes, as we feared the cable car will go down,” Osama said.
When helicopters were no longer able to fly after sunset, rescuers shifted tactics.
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A makeshift chairlift was used to approach the cable car using the one cable that was still intact, local police chief Nazir Ahmed said.
Chants of “God is great” could be heard as the chairlift was lowered to the ground in the final stage of the operation just before midnight.
The children received oxygen as a precaution before being handed over to their parents, many of whom burst into tears of joy, Mr Ahmed added.
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