Authorities confirmed that a man died and a woman was severely injured after a sudden collision between a gondola and a piece of construction machinery at a ski resort.
Mont-Tremblant Resort in Quebec was the scene of the tragic accident on Sunday, July 16. A sightseeing gondola, carrying two passengers, came into a sudden and shocking collision with a drilling machine.
Provincial police, led by spokesperson Eric Cadotte, have launched an investigation into the incident. In an unusual circumstance, the drilling machine was operating beneath the gondola on a Sunday. The chairlift’s passengers, Sheldon Johnson and Marichu Gadong-Gleyo, were thrown several feet to the ground due to the forceful collision. According to Cadotte, “It was pretty bad. A part of the gondola was ripped off and the people had no chance at all, they just fell on the ground at several meters, hitting hard on the ground.”
Johnson, 50, died on impact. Gadong-Gleyo, who is currently hospitalized, is in critical condition. The person operating the drilling machine has received treatment for shock, and the police have not ruled out the possibility of criminal negligence.
In response to the tragedy, the Mont-Tremblant Resort Association suspended all resort activities and posted an announcement on Facebook. Expressing their regret over the incident, Annique Aird, the vice president of sales, marketing, and communications, extended her condolences to the victims and their families.
