Osman Sungur, who was rescued from the cable car accident in the Konyaaltı district of Antalya, along with his family and relatives after being trapped for 22 hours, said they could not overcome the trauma they experienced.
Sungur, his wife Ayşegül, 9-year-old son Muhammet Onur, and 11 relatives who came from Istanbul were trapped in the cabins they boarded at Tünektepe Cable Car Facility on April 12.
Having spent the night hanging meters above the ground in the stranded cabin and rescued by Coast Guard Command teams dispatched from Izmir via helicopter, the Sungur family is trying to overcome the trauma they experienced. Like other survivors, the Sungur family also receives psychosocial support from Ministry of Family and Social Services officials.
Sungur, 38, who runs a bakery, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they boarded the cable car with their relatives who came to Antalya from Istanbul for the Ramadan holiday.
Sungur, stating that they had children with them, said that the cable car stopped about five minutes after they started moving.
Expressing that they thought the electricity was cut off, Sungur said: "Then the cable car started working again, and at that moment, it started moving downwards as if the cables had broken, and we swung quite a bit. We thought the cables had broken, that we were falling, but then it stopped. Due to intense fog, we couldn't see ahead. When the fog cleared, we saw the toppled pole and I immediately called the number on top of the cabin. Initially, they told us there was a power outage, but I told them that the pole had fallen. I called emergency services, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), and the gendarmerie because my 9-year-old son was very scared. It became evening, and AFAD called us, saying, 'We will pick you up in the morning with a helicopter.' The teams were working, and three children and seven people were in our cabin."
Sungur explained that they were very scared while waiting in the cabin; they had no water and couldn't meet their needs.
Emphasizing that their cabin was in the steepest place, Sungur said: "If we fell, we would be shattered; there was no chance of survival below. Our fear increased when we learned about the deaths over the phone. The fallen cabin was three cabins ahead of us; we could see it. After talking to the AFAD teams, I felt relieved because they supported us. They said, 'Stay calm; we have taken the necessary precautions for you.' We were very scared when the cable broke."
Sungur mentioned that it was his first time on the cable car and when the incident occurred, a team from the Coast Guard Command reached their cabins by rappelling down.
Explaining that his wife and son were rescued first, Sungur continued: "Commander Halil Arabacı rescued us. I send my love to him; may God bless him. He provided great support when he came to our cabin. He said, 'We are here, stay calm. I have been doing this job for 10 years' Indeed, the team was very successful. There was also a diabetic in our cabin and they saved everyone. Then they took me, and he said, 'Hold on to the rope tightly,' I hugged the soldier directly, 'I feel safer this way,' I said. 'Whatever makes you comfortable, enjoy the view; you won't see it from here again,' he said. We suddenly got on the helicopter."
Sungur mentioned that his hands still tremble when he recalls what they went through.
Saying that their feet were numb due to being motionless in the cabin for 22 hours, Sungur said: "Even when breathing from fear, we were anxious. The cabin kept swinging all night. My child was very scared; he still has fears, can't sleep alone at night and is afraid when getting in the car. When a plane passes by, he says, 'Dad, I'm very scared.' My wife is trying to overcome the trauma; we are seeing a psychologist. Our relatives returned to Istanbul; they are also trying to overcome this trauma. We also have 3- and 5-year-old children."
Stressing that they filed a complaint about the accident, Sungur said: "My hands are still trembling; human life should not be this cheap. I want to know how precautions are taken, how maintenance is done and whoever is responsible should be found."
Meanwhile, the Sungur family and their relatives recorded the fearful moments they experienced in the stranded cabin with the cameras of their phones.
The footage includes Osman Sungur's wife crying on the phone while speaking and the sudden start of the cabin falling while relatives in another cabin were shooting a video.
In the accident at the cable car facility, one person died after falling from the shattered cabin and seven people, including two children, were injured in the same cabin. The other 11 people evacuated from different cabins were taken to hospital to be monitored.
Due to the system's stoppage, 174 people in the 24 cabins hanging in the air were rescued after about 22.5 hours of work coordinated by AFAD.
Among the 14 suspects detained regarding the accident, five, including former ANET board of directors chairperson and general manager, who is also the Kepez mayor, Mesut Kocagöz, were arrested.
