Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A mum was left desperately clinging onto her son after he slipped off a ski chairlift, and they travelled more than 1,000 feet before she finally had to let him go.

The incident took place at the Titlis Ski Resort, in Engelberg in central Switzerland when the boy was taking his seat on the chairlift.

The six-year-old reportedly slipped through the restraining bar and his mum managed to grab his hand in an incident that was not seen in time by the lift operator because they had left their post.

With the youngster suspended in the air, the chairlift continued moving and the mother reportedly held on for 300 metres (984 feet) before dropping him into a mound of snow at a height of four metres (13 feet).

Although the young lad was unharmed, the incident raised questions as to why the chairlift was not stopped.

Roland Wehrli, head of the Berg Titlis Bergbahnen cableways, told local media: “Our employee had to fetch a screwdriver for another customer.”

He added: “We’re very sorry.”

Wehrli said the employee left the facility running at the time of the incident and only noticed that there had been a problem when it was too late.

He added: “We are going to re-train our employees so something like this doesn’t happen again.”

Local media noted that the chairlift, which went into operation in 2005, also does not have safety bars to fit between the legs that are usually installed to prevent such accidents.

However, Wehrli said: “A change (in the lift design) is not on the agenda.”

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