8 May 2017

Queenstown gondola suffers malfunction

7:33 am on 8 May 2017

Passengers on Queenstown's Skyline gondola were left hanging in midair yesterday after a cabin dislodged from the conveyor system.

Queenstown gondola

Queenstown gondola Photo: RNZ / Peter Newport

Staff clearing passengers had to release one cabin using an emergency handle during the incident yesterday afternoon.

The company said it was reviewing the incident and its response.

It said the gondola was shut down for 20 minutes as a precaution after an empty cabin that was being removed from the gondola line became dislodged at the bottom terminal, and passengers were then removed.

Engineers stopped operations for a further 10 minutes and the system restarted shortly after 6pm last night.

The company said passengers, who were able to call an 0800 number shown inside the cabin when the gondola stopped, were safe at all times.