The Tenerife Cabildo coordinated the evacuation of 77 people stranded at the upper station of the Teide Cable Car yesterday, after the group ignored weather warnings and recklessly accessed the area on foot despite the cable car being closed due to the adverse conditions.
The situation escalated because several members of the group were displaying symptoms of altitude sickness, so they made an emergency 112 call for help.
The emergency services were dispatched and the Teide Cable Car team were contacted to assist with the operation. After verifying that the weather temporarily allowed the cable car's safe operation, 64 people were evacuated by cable car, while 13 opted to descend on foot.
Blanca Pérez, the councillor for the Environment, Security, and Emergencies, emphasised the dangers of such actions, stating, “Low temperatures, icy conditions, and altitude sickness significantly jeopardise the safety of those attempting to reach the summit unprepared. This was an extreme act of irresponsibility.”
The Government of the Canary Islands had declared a pre-alert for rain and storms on Friday, November 15th, prompting the closure of the cable car. Pérez stressed the importance of following such warnings: “These measures are taken to ensure public safety. While no serious incidents occurred, this serves as a reminder for everyone to respect weather alerts and adhere to safety guidelines.”
