At least 30 individuals have been injured following a partial collapse of a ski lift in northern Spain.
The incident occurred at the Astún resort in the Spanish Pyrenees, prompting the closure of the resort as rescue services responded.
Social media images and videos depicted multiple individuals lying on the snow beneath the ski lift.
Expressing his dismay, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated he was "shocked" by the news of the incident.
According to local media reports, seventeen individuals required medical attention.
Ambulances and helicopters transported some of the injured to the hospital.
Numerous individuals who were left hanging on the 15m (50ft) high chairlift have since been rescued.
Jaime Pelegri, a witness on the lift, recounted to the BBC that a cable on his side of the structure lost tension, causing the chairs to fall, describing the experience as "very scary, but very fast." He added that emergency vehicles arrived within 15 minutes.
Miguel Ángel Clavero, the director of emergencies for the Aragon region where the incident took place, informed TVE that approximately 30 to 35 people sustained injuries of varying severity due to a failure in the chairlift's return pulley, which led to the cable losing tension and some chairs falling.
Notably, images on social media suggest one of the chairlift's flywheels was dislodged from its upright position. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Regional President Jorge Azcón and Spain's Minister of the Interior Roberto Bermúdez de Castro visited the site.
PM Pedro Sánchez mentioned having conferred with Azcón to extend the government's "full support."
A dedicated phone line has been established for the families of those impacted.
Situated near the French border, the Astún resort is a favored destination for skiers in the Aragon region of the Pyrenees mountains.