One dead after Swiss ski gondola crashes

One person has died after a cable car cabin at a Swiss ski resort crashed down a snowy mountainside during strong winds.

A police spokesperson told reporters that one person sustained fatal injuries on Wednesday, although the exact cause of death had not been confirmed.

The individual, whose identity was not disclosed, was the only person in the gondola, police said.

A helicopter had been dispatched to the scene in the ski resort of Engelberg in central Switzerland, air-rescue service Rega said.

Investigations into how the accident took place are ongoing, the Nidwalden cantonal police said.

The BBC reports that police spoke of gusts of more than 80km/h. The gondola service is normally suspended when winds climb above 60km/h.