February 3 - Cavalese Cable Car Disaster

This Day in History: 3 February 2020

 

3 February 1998

 

22 years ago, today, a US Marine jet, while flying over Cavalese in the Italian Alps, severed a ski-lift cable. At Cermis Mountain, an EA-6B Prowler operated by the US Marines flew by suddenly and sliced through the steel cable. All 20 people on board were killed instantly, as the tram plunged more than 250 feet to the ground. A similar event happened in 1976, when a ski-life cable snapped, causing the car to fall 700 feet. 42 people lost their lives, with the only survivor being a 14-year-old girl.

 

The jet faced minimal damage, and returned to its base, while the pilot, Captain Richard J. Ashby, and the navigator, Captain Joseph Schweitzer, destroyed the videotape that recorded the flight. However, it was soon discovered that the plane was flying significantly under the minimum altitude at 360 feet, with the minimum being 2,000 feet. This sparked anti-American protests in Italy, so President Bill Clinton apologised to the victims' families, and promised compensation. Ashby and Schweitzer were charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide, and were court-martialled for obstruction of justice, causing them to be dismissed from the Marines. Compensation for the victims failed to be approved for by Congress, but Italy approved nearly $2 million in compensation per victim. According to NATO regulations, the US were held liable for 75% of damages.

 

Want to find out more about this tragic incident? Click here for more information, or to view the aftermath of the crash, click here.