TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An equipment malfunction at a golf club in Taichung caused a cable car accident that sent five people to the hospital on Thursday (Feb. 22).

At around 3 p.m. Thursday, a group of golfers was riding the steel cable car from Hole 17 to Hole 18 when a main cable snapped, causing the car to speed down the hill and crash into the metal railing at the base. Five guests, one woman and four men, were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, reported UDN.

Fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening, but at least three of the injured golfers suffered bone fractures. One man suffered a broken bone in his right hand, another suffered a fractured bone in his arms and two cracked ribs, while the woman suffered a broken bone in her foot and a fractured rib.

The open-air steel cable car at the golf club in Fengyuan District takes golfers up a moderate incline, with a height difference of over 10 meters from the base platform to the top. The cable car was over 10 meters up the slope when one of four primary support cables broke, causing it to backslide towards the lower platform.

The Taichung Fire Department is reportedly investigating the accident. The golf club where the incident occurred may be liable for damages depending on the outcome of the investigation.

The cable car track. (CNA photo)