Police investigating death of woman found underneath Anakeesta chairlift in Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg police and state officials are investigating the death of a woman found under a chairlift Thursday night at Anakeesta, a popular mountaintop attraction.
On Friday afternoon, a spokesperson from the city of Gatlinburg wrote that multiple witnesses say a woman, 40-year-old from LaVergne, Tennessee, jumped from the chairlift.
The nature-themed park can be reached on a ski lift that has both typical bench seats and closed gondolas.
The Gatlinburg Fire & Rescue Department was dispatched to Anakeesta at 7:41 p.m., regarding an incident on the chairlift, a press release stated. Fire department personnel found the woman dead, according to the release. The Sevier County Medical Examiners office also responded to the scene and the incident remains under investigation.
A spokesperson from Anakeesta released a statement Thursday night that stated, "A tragic incident occurred this evening. 911 was called immediately. Our hearts are with the family of the deceased."
The park opened at 10 a.m. Friday but the Chondola remained closed, according to the park's website. The park proactively arranged for an inspection of the lift following the accident, a spokesperson said Friday.
"Following the incident, Anakeesta operated the lift long enough to allow the guests that were on the lift to exit," said Michele Canney. "Anakeesta then immediately shut down the lift in an abundance of safety and to investigate the incident. Anakeesta used its transportation fleet to allow the guests to exit the mountain top. "
The chief elevator inspector from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Elevator Unit traveled to Gatlinburg this morning to investigate the Chondola Chair Lift, a state spokesperson said.
The chairlift is considered a conveyance device and is under the jurisdiction of the state’s elevator unit, he explained. While on site, the inspector will conduct a mechanical inspection of the aerial lift and review multiple aspects of the lift’s operations.
The list was last inspected on April 21. Its operating permit is set to expire Aug. 4 and a new permit approved, the spokesperson said. Aerial lifts are inspected by the state every six months.
It can take up to eight weeks to complete an investigation, the spokesperson said. Once the investigation is closed, the report will be open for review.
According to the theme park, the state inspector approved the reopening of the lift, which will resume normal operations when the park opens on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Anakeesta death: Police investigate after woman found under chairlift
