The haul rope on the Sea to Sky Gondola outside Vancouver was deliberately cut, according to a Technical Safety BC report released Wednesday.
The technical investigation report says there were no defects with the haul rope or its design that contributed to the collapse of approximately 30 gondola cabins on Aug. 10 in Squamish.
“Our technical failure analysis has concluded that the haul rope wires were substantially cut while under tension,” said Jeff Coleman, director of risk and safety knowledge.
“Once a sufficient number of wire strands had been cut, the remaining rope segment yielded under the tension from the non-operating gondola.”
As a result, the gondola cabins fell to the ground and many were damaged beyond repair.
READ MORE: Sea-to-Sky Gondola in B.C. likely out of commission until 2020
Coleman said cutting the haul rope was “an extremely dangerous act.”
“The resulting tension overload that caused many of the individual steel wires and the rope to snap while being cut could have resulted in serious injury or even death to those involved,” he said.
“Anyone close to the gondola when this occurred could have been seriously hurt or killed.”
READ MORE: Cut gondola cable and damaged cars to cost millions, Squamish company says
President and CEO Catherine Roome said the independent, self-funded organization is now working closely with RCMP to support their ongoing criminal investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the RCMP’s dedicated tip line at 604-892-6122.
To provide a tip anonymously, call BC Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
READ MORE: Sea to Sky Gondola cable may have been cut deliberately — Squamish RCMP
karissa.gall@blackpress.ca
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