Police in northern Italy have made three arrests in the cable car disaster that killed 14 people after an investigation showed a clamp, placed on the brake as a patchwork repair effort, prevented the brake from engaging after the lead cable snapped.
Carabinieri Lt. Col. Alberto Cicognani told RAI state television on Wednesday that the three people admitted to their involvement during questioning overnight, the LaPresse and ANSA news agencies reported. He said the fork-shaped clamp was placed on the brake as a temporary fix to prevent further interruptions in the funicular service.
After the lead cable snapped Sunday, the cabin reeled back down the line until it pulled off, crashed to the ground and rolled over down the mountainside until it came to rest against some trees. Fourteen people were killed; the lone survivor, a 5-year-old boy, remains hospitalized.
