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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

"Mid-Air Collision At Tegelberg"

Room With A View

The World's Most Unusual Mid-Air Ordeal

Feature Date: Sept. 4 2011

Event Date: Aug. 13 2011

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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

On The Scene -- at Mout Tegelberg near Schwangau in Bavaria

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A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: August 13 2011

The Time: Late Afternoon

The Place: Mt. Tegelberg near Schwangau in Bavaria

 

"Mid-Air Collision At Tegelberg"

On The Scene At Mt. Tegelberg near Schwangau in Bavaria

August 13 2011

Neuschwanstein Castle - In Better Days

At The Foot of Mt. Tegleberg And The Mt. Tegelberg Cable Car

 

The Prolog To Disaster -- The Cargo Was Human
 

PROLOG TO DISASTER

Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein) is a 19th-century Gothic Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau at the foot of Mt. Tegelberg, near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany.

The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner.

The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then over 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with up to 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle and later, similar structures.

In addition to visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, tourists enjoy two completely different types of airborne activities -- parasailing from the jump point on Mt. Tegelberg and riding the Tegelberg Cable Car to the top of Mt. Tegelberg. On Aug. 13 2011, these two activities clashed in one of the most unusual mid-air collisions of all time.

This feature deals with two concepts:"Mid-Air Collision At Tegelberg" ........ and ....... of course....... as always ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Michael S. McDaniel - Your Editor
 

Tegelberg Cable Car Leaving The Lower Station

The Tegelberg Cable Car
The Tegelberg Cable Car on Mt. Tegelberg near Schwangau, is 2,146.18 meters long. It climbs a height of 892.5 meters, has a carrying cable of 48 mm in diameter and a hauling cable of 26 mm in diameter. It has two cabins each capable of transporting up to 44 persons. They are driven by a 2,540 KW engine. The cableway has a 38 meter high support pillar, made of reinforced concrete.

 Climing To A Height of 2,928 Above The Valley Floor

Up To 44 Passenger Climb To A Dizzying Height

Reuters Photo Shows How One Tegelberg Cable Car Ascends, While The Other Descends -- Arriving At The Upper & Lower Stations Simultaneously

Daily Passengers On The  Tegelberg Cable Car Include Parasail Enthusiasts Who Will Launch From The Summit.

Once Launched -- Rules Mandate Parasail Flight Parallel To The Tegelberg Cable Car Cable Lines.

Crossing The Lines During Parasail Flight Could Cause A Disaster.

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Tegelberg Cable Car Ride Past Neuschwanstein Castle

Launching From The Parasail Platform Atop Mt. Tegelberg

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Parasailing over Neuschwanstein Castle

Once Launched -- Rules Mandate Flight Parallel To The Tegelberg Cable Car Cable Lines

Flights Must Fly Parallel To The Tegelberg Cable Car Cable Lines.

But Late On Aug. 13 2011, The Rule Was Violarted

A Tandem Paraglider Crossed The Cable Lines And Collided With The Lines.

Tangled In The Lines, The Entire System Came To A Halt.

Truly A Mid-Air Collision of A Most Unusual Kind.

From The Cargo Letter
German rescue crews rushed to free 20 tourists who were trapped in a cable car suspended 100 meters above the ground in the Bavarian Alps following collision with a paraglider. The paraglider was being used to film footage for the state television station Bayerische Rundfunk &endash; the 54-year-old pilot had a television reporter with him.

Cable cars bring tourists up Tegelberg mountain in southern Germany for a closeup view of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Officials said the system came to a halt Aug. 13, after a pair of paragliders crashed into the cables.

A second cable car was left dangling closer to the ground by the accident, so rescuers were able to use ropes to return those passengers to safety before dark.

The paraglider was being used to film footage for the state television station Bayerische Rundfunk, it was confirmed over the weekend &endash; the 54-year-old pilot had a television reporter with him.

Tegelberg, nearly 1,900 meters high, overlooks Neuschwanstein Castle, a former royal retreat that has been visited by 60 million people during the past 125 years. The castle's soaring Gothic Revival style is said to have inspired modern animated films such as the Walt Disney corporation's "Sleeping Beauty."

19 Passenger & A Conductor Are Trapped 260 Feet Above The Ground

The Gondola Is 12 Square Meters In Size

Police Rescue Teams Launch The Rescue Effort

Ranging In Age From 4 To 75 -- 20 Passengers Hang In Mid-Air.

The Second Cable Car With 30 Aboard Is Stopped Closer To The Ground And Rescued By Climbing Teams Before Night Fall.

The Rescue Effort Winds Down As Night Falls Over Neuschwanstein Castle

About 130 Tourists & Workers Were Helicoptered Off Mt. Tegelberg Before Dark -- As Were The Tangled Paragliders

Rescuers Got Food, Blankets & Toys To The Gondola Via A Small Vehicle Able To Run On The Cable,

But All 20 Passengersd Would Spend The Night Suspended In Mid-Air.

It Was A Room With A View -- But Not The One They Wantd.

The Rescue Effort Continues At First Light On Aug. 14 2011

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Dramatic Helicopter Rescue

The Dramatic Rescues Are Decribed As Tense, But Calm

One By One Passenger Are Rescued

A 260 Foot Drop To Safety

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Mid-Air Rescue Drama

Returning The Rescued To Neuschwanstein Castle

News Reports Describe The Rescue Mission As Spectacular

After 18 Hours In The Tegelberg Cable Car, The 20 Passengers Are Tired, But In Good Health

 Reunited After An 18 Hour Flight Above Mt. Tegelberg

 

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Trapped Tourists Rescued

  It's A Happy Ending To The Mid-Air Collision At Tegelberg  

  .......... And They All Lived Happily Ever After


Shippers Must Have Quality Marine Cargo Insurance ........ Because......... "Ship Happens! ©"

To Repeat -- No Matter How Careful You Are -- Or Who You Hire ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Gear!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!


The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To The Rescue Pilots & Crew of Mt. Tegelberg And Their Families.


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by air & sae continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker

It's very dangerous out there.


INDEX TO OUR "Mid-Air Collision At Tegelberg" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

Important Links To Our Feature:
SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Parasailing over Neuschwanstein Castle

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Dramatic Helicopter Rescue

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Mid-Air Rescue Drama

SPECIAL VIDEO FEATURE:: Trapped Tourists Rescued

Tegelberg Cable Car


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And ..... "Fighting Fires On Mars" - Jan. 2008

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"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker. 

It's very dangerous out there.


Thanks To Our Contributors For The "Mid-Air Collision At Tegelberg" Feature

Our Contributor for this feature is:
  Our "Doc" - the faithful & enlightened source who must remain anonymous
The Cargo Letter appreciates the continuing efforts of these valued contributors.


NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss.


EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD


* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.  

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