Technical Safety BC has released it’s technical investigation report into the Sea to Sky Gondola’s collapse.

The incident occurred on August 10th and has meant the closure of the facility until at least the spring of 2020. In a press release Technical Safety BC says there were no defects with the haul rope or the design of the gondola haul rope that contributed to its separation.

It also concludes that the haul rope was deliberately cut, resulting in approximately 30 gondola cabins falling to the ground.

“Our technical failure analysis has concluded that the haul rope wires were substantially cut while under tension,” says Technical Safety BC’s Director of Risk & Safety Knowledge, Jeff Coleman. “Once a sufficient number of wire strands had been cut, the remaining rope segment yielded under the tension from the non-operating gondola.”

“Cutting the haul rope was an extremely dangerous act,” Coleman adds. “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. Anyone close to the gondola when this occurred could have been seriously hurt or killed.”

Due to an ongoing police investigation some of the report is redacted so that its publication does not interfere. You can view the full report at: https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/alerts/sea-sky-gondola-collapses-due-intentional-cut-haul-rope

Anyone with information regarding the crime is asked to call the RCMP’s dedicated tip line at 604 892 6122. Anonymous tips can be called into Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 TIPS.