---
title: "Stresa–Mottarone cable car crash"
year: 2021
canonical: "https://recap.at/2021/stresa-mottarone-cable-car-crash"
slug: "stresa-mottarone-cable-car-crash"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "2021-01-01"
---

# Stresa–Mottarone cable car crash

> On this day (05/23), 5 years ago: A cable car falls from a mountain near Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, killing 14 people.

A cable car plunged 75 meters to the ground near Lake Maggiore in northern Italy on May 23, 2021, killing all 14 people aboard. The aerial tram's main cable had snapped near the mountain summit, and its backup safety brake—disabled for maintenance—failed to engage.

## Summary

On 23 May 2021, an aerial tram on the Stresa–Alpino–Mottarone Cable Car crashed to the ground after a traction or haulage cable snapped about five metres (16 ft) from the summit of Mottarone, a mountain near Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. Normally, a hydraulic safety brake would have stopped the runaway car immediately but the cable car was operating illegally with the brake disabled. The crash killed fourteen passengers in the cable car, and seriously injured one child.

## Key facts

- **Death toll**: 14 people
- **Date**: 23 May 2021
- **Fall distance**: 75 meters (246 feet)
- **Location**: Near Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, Italy
- **Cable break point**: Approximately 5 meters from Mottarone summit
- **Survivors**: One child (age 5)
- **Safety brake status**: Deliberately disabled for maintenance
- **People charged**: 3 individuals with manslaughter and related offenses

## Timeline

- **2021-05-23** - Cable car crash
  The Stresa–Alpino–Mottarone cable car breaks its main traction cable near the summit and plummets 75 meters. The hydraulic safety brake, which had been disabled during maintenance work, does not engage. Fourteen people die; one five-year-old child survives.
- **2021-05-24** - Investigation begins
  Italian authorities launch a criminal investigation into the crash. Prosecutors examine maintenance records and operational procedures.
- **2021-06-15** - First arrests
  Prosecutors charge three people—including the cable car operator and maintenance personnel—with manslaughter and safety violations.
- **2021-09-01** - Negligence findings
  Investigators determine that the safety brake was intentionally disabled and not re-engaged before the cable car resumed operation, constituting criminal negligence.
- **2022-05-27** - Trial proceedings advance
  Criminal trial continues in Turin; evidence presented includes maintenance logs showing the brake had been disabled for weeks.

## Impact

The crash exposed criminal negligence in the operation and maintenance of the Stresa–Alpino–Mottarone Cable Car. Three people were charged with manslaughter and other crimes; the incident triggered a broader investigation into safety protocols across Italy's cable car network.

## Sources

- [Stresa–Mottarone cable car crash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stresa%E2%80%93Mottarone_cable_car_crash) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/2021/stresa-mottarone-cable-car-crash