Analysis of medical evacuation following the Tünektepe cable car accident in Turkey in 2024
Signa Vitae, cilt.22, sa.1, ss.124-132, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 22 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.22514/sv.2025.187
- Dergi Adı: Signa Vitae
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Central & Eastern European Academic Source (CEEAS), EMBASE, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.124-132
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Cable car, Cable car accident, Aerial evacuation, Injury severity score
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background: The Tünektepe Touristic Cable Car accident happened on 12 April 2024, when a support pole collapsed, causing the nearest cabin to crash to the ground. One cabin fell to the ground, while 35 others were left suspended in the air. This study aims to analyze the demographic characteristics and medical conditions of the 182 victims of the accident. Methods: Transportation records and other related documents were analyzed retrospectively. The demographic data, clinical symptoms, Injury Severity Scores (ISS), medications administered, and prognoses of the accident victims were examined separately. Results: Rescue efforts lasted 23 hours, and the mean age of the victims was 32 years. One person (0.54%) died at the scene, 20 people (11%) sustained injuries, and 161 people (89%) were asymptomatic. The fatality was attributed to severe head and neck trauma. Among the rescued patients, 14 (7.7%) sustained extremity injuries. ISS distribution was as follows: nine patients (43%) scored 1, four (19%) scored 4, two (9.5%) scored 13, two (9.5%) scored 10, one (4.7%) scored 50, one (4.7%) scored 25, one (4.7%) scored 9, and one (4.7%) scored 0. Triage codes included (5%) black, (10%) red, (40%) yellow, and (50%) green cases. Patients in the impacted cabin most frequently suffered extremity and spinal fractures due to being thrown and then falling from a height. In contrast, patients in the stranded cabins presented only with soft tissue injuries to the extremities, without fractures, and all were discharged directly from the emergency department. Conclusions: Cable car accidents are rare. Effective evacuation requires highly trained personnel, appropriate equipment, and careful planning.