Haifa's Rakbalit cable car stopped on Thursday because of a technical malfunction, leaving 16 passengers stranded in midair, WireIsrael reports. Rescue teams evacuated everyone after an hour and a half, and service then resumed. The line carries many daily commuters and students to the Technion and the University of Haifa, according to WireIsrael.

WireIsrael reports that rescue teams first brought down passengers from the section between the Dori station and the University of Haifa. Sixteen riders remained in cabins suspended between the Dori station and Check Post. Yazid Suleiman, CEO of the Rakbalit, told local media that the company needed to replace a part at Check Post before those cabins could be released. "We separated the sections and lowered all the passengers who were in the cabins from Dori to the university," Suleiman said. According to management, all passengers were safely rescued after about an hour and a half and the system returned to full operation.

IsraelInfo reports the line had only just returned to service. Operator Cable Express announced on November 9 that scheduled maintenance was finished, and the cable car ran again on November 10, two days before the breakdown. WireIsrael reports the company had announced a planned multi-day shutdown earlier in the month for safety and maintenance work.

The Rakbalit opened in 2022 and is part of Haifa's public transportation network, WireIsrael reports. Its route runs about 4.4 kilometers, connecting the Central Mifratz transport hub, the Technion and the University of Haifa with cabins that travel above the city. IsraelInfo reports the first stoppage with passengers aboard came in October 2022, half a year after the opening, and that the line was also closed for maintenance from January 29 to February 11 this year.

Every rider reached the ground safely, and the cabins are moving again above the city.