Ski lift collapses in Spain leaving 15 people injured - but 'cause unknown'

More than a dozen people have been injured, some seriously, in a ski lift accident in Spain.

The incident took place on a chair lift at the Astún ski resort, which is on the Spanish border with France, in the Pyrenees mountain range.

Astún Ski Resort said around 15 people were injured, three of them seriously.

The regional government has previously said at least 30 people were injured, nine of them very seriously injured.

"The causes of the accident are unknown which are currently being investigated," the resort said in a statement. "The facility comes with all permits and inspections. The protocols for rescue and transfer of wounded have worked properly, evacuating all the uphill users within two and a half hours."

It said the station would be open to the public tomorrow "at its usual hours".

Jamie Pelegri, who was on the chair lift when it collapsed, told Sky News it was "a very scary moment" and that the incident took place "in a matter of seconds".

"We were still going up, it looked like the cable lost tensity," he said. "So at the same time, all of the chairs in the lift started to fall, and we actually were a part of that."

He added that as he and his wife had just got on the lift, they were uninjured and "the chairs surrounding us were falling back".

But higher up the lift, "it's where... more dangerous things happened, and there were injured people".

Mr Pelegri added that some skiers looked as though they had fallen "probably ten to over 15m... to the snow".

State TV channel TVE reported that around 80 people remained trapped on the chair lift.

A witness told the broadcaster: "It's like a cable has come off, the chairs have bounced and people have been thrown off."

The cause of the incident is currently unknown.

Images and videos circulating on social media appeared to show people lying on the floor near a ski lift. A helicopter was also seen landing at the resort.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was "shocked by the news of the accident".

"All our affection to the injured and their families," he said.

President of the government of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, said he had been informed of the incident and was travelling to the scene.

The Spanish prime minister also said he had spoken with Mr Azcón "to offer him the full support of the government".

A telephone line has been set up for the families of those affected.

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The Spanish Red Cross said it had joined emergency services at the scene with an advanced life support ambulance and 11 other specialised vehicles.

Jaime Pelegrí, a commercial director at Spotify who was at the scene, also wrote on X: "Accident in Astún. The Canal Roya chair has fallen.

"Luckily we are fine but there are injured people, we have seen several stretchers coming down."

(c) Sky News 2025: Ski lift collapses in Spain leaving 15 people injured - but 'cause unknown'