Rescue officials and army officers revealed that a nerve-wracking operation to save children stuck hundreds of meters above the ground in a cable car in Pakistan this week faced unprecedented challenges, as officials feared another cable might snap at any moment. The 16-hour rescue effort captured the attention of the world as the air force, army, and civilians on the ground struggled to save eight people, mostly children, from a cable car hanging at a steep angle 183 meters above a river after one of its cables snapped.
Major Asad Khan Marwat, who played a key role in coordinating the operation from the ground, described the situation as "very nerve-wracking." An air force helicopter attempted to approach the cable car for hours, but strong winds made it difficult. Asad noted that rescuers feared the car would fall if they sent a rescuer down, as it was designed to hold only seven or eight people. They struggled to convince the terrified children to wear safety harnesses and exit the car so that the helicopter could lift them up.
Finally, one child attempted to do so just before nightfall. Asad said, "That boy managed to wear the harness and secure it on his body," adding "he was a brave boy." As sunlight faded, the winds intensified. Rescuers canceled the helicopter operation fearing that any further attempt could be extremely dangerous. They decided to continue the operation from the ground, especially with children suffering from hunger, and two of them losing consciousness during the ordeal.
Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Kamran, who helped oversee the operation with a special services group, stated, "We had to do it at any cost." Asad and local residents tried to convince the remaining children to exit via phone, telling them, "Just wear the safety harness; you’re safe, you won’t go anywhere."
Mohammad Ali, one of the rescuers, secured the harnesses around the children and checked them again. He managed to rescue three children but suffered a broken hand, so a special forces member took his place during the next attempt. When the last three children were rescued and brought to safety, waiting families exclaimed, "Allahu Akbar." Kamran said, "It was a moment of great achievement," adding, "The locals were very happy and thankful to God... and we were grateful to them for their support."
Rescuers, locals, and the children gathered yesterday in Islamabad, first attending a ceremony with the caretaker prime minister and then enjoying tea and food together, united by the bonds of friendship formed through the perilous rescue mission.
