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3 Russians Have Died on Europe's Tallest Peak After Chairlift Accident

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 1:39 PM ET

Beneath the peak of Europe’s tallest mountain, the 18,510-foot-tall Mount Elbrus in Russia, three deaths have been reported after an accident involving a single-seat chairlift.

TASS (a Russian state-run media company) reported on the accident on Friday, September 12, 2025. According to the Russian news agency, two people died after a chairlift slipped from its support roller. Multiple people were also injured. Later news accounts added that a third person died.

Two of the people who died were workers, OC Media reported. The third was a mountaineer.

Around 40 people were evacuated from the chairlift. They hung about 13 feet above the ground while they awaited rescue. Tap or click the embedded videos from X (formerly Twitter) below to see the aftermath of the incident.

Two people have died after a chairlift derailed on Mount #Elbrus in #Russia.

Authorities in the #Kabardino-Balkarian Republic reported that 37 people were on the cableway at the time, and rescuers evacuated 35. pic.twitter.com/ryXOZ7TtkY
— Ian Collins (@Ian_Collins_03) September 14, 2025

The director and chief engineer of the company that operates the chairlift, MKD Elbrus, have been detained as a criminal investigation examining non-compliance with safety measures unfolds. According to OC Media, they face up to ten years in prison.

Perched on the flanks of Mount Elbrus, the Soviet-era chairlift deposited tourists and climbers at a base camp area at 12,140 feet. A resort map for Mount Elbrus shows a series of cable cars and chairlifts crisscrossing the mountain.

Investigators said on Monday that technical facilities were sealed and the entire ropeway route had been closed.

The accident on Mount Elbrus follows another ropeway failure in Russia when, in early August, a chairlift at a resort collapsed, leaving several injured. The malfunction prompted another criminal investigation.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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