The ordeal began on Thursday afternoon when cables on the Panoramic Mont Blanc cable vehicle service got twisted, trapping 110 people in a string of cars at altitudes of up to 3,800 metres (12,500ft).
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The rescue mission in the French Alps restarted at dawn and returned the 33 people to safety after they became trapped at an altitude of about 3,800m (12,468ft) yesterday afternoon, apparently when cables became tangled in high winds.
As the drama unfolded, French and Italian helicopters flew in rescuers who dropped down on cables onto the tops of the cars, and lifted out passengers one by one.
He said the helicopters rescued 65 people before the operation was suspended for the night because of rough flight conditions.
Rescuers provided provided blankets, food and water were in constant touch with those trapped and had to spend the night in the cable auto, media reported.
Each cabin contained a survival kit including blankets, water and cereal bars, and extra food supplies were passed to those that the emergency services personnel could reach.
The passengers were then flown by helicopter to Chamonix and the Italian town of Courmayeur.
But over 30 people had to spend the night in the cable cars suspended mid-air and had to be rescued on Friday.
A dozen were brought down from the four-person gondolas by rescuers using ropes. They alerted authorities and French and Italian mountain rescue specialists were brought by helicopter to evacuate the cars. He told the Telegraph: “We were in the cab for two-and-a-half hours locked under the sun”. The trip typically takes about 30 minutes.
The cable vehicle broke down on Thursday afternoon, possibly caused by a crossover of cables in the strong winds.
Chief of the cable vehicle company, Mathieu Dechavanne said at around 8am local time (6am GMT): “It restarted five minutes ago, the last cable (which was blocking the system) was untangled”.
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“The panoramic cable cars rise to an altitude of 12,000 feet, and are operated in the summer season with large numbers of tourists and climbers”, Eleanor says.
