US tourists, newborn, toddler, in dramatic cable car rescue 130ft above river Rhine

[zwiebel]

Two young US tourists aged 22 and 23, and a Cologne couple with a newborn baby and a toddler, had a terrifying rescue when their cable car got stuck over the river Rhine for hours. High winds caused a wheel to spring out of the track, and once the cars jammed, there was no way back, or down, except for abseiling.

You can see the little ones being winched down on the video at the link. It's dark and windy, but I do admire the way the mom seems to walk off bouncily with her firefighter rescuers - I don't think she's as traumatized as I was, just watching!

No-one was hurt, and the US tourists have certainly had a trip to remember. I hope it doesn't put them off Germany!

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/oct/22/cable-car-rescue-germany-rhine-river-video

Article in German
http://www1.wdr.de/themen/panorama/seilbahn-koeln100.html

 

[Coldpizza]

Thank goodness all are okay, but that would :scared:the bejeezus out of me!

 

[zwiebel]

I looked at it once. Wouldn't get on it though. Glad I didn't now.

ETA: Did get on a German mountain cable car once, that snuck up and knocked my knees from under me, while I was still making up my mind about getting on. I still think that's cheating.

ETA: Not a car, one of those swing things. Don't even know what they're called.