Dozens rescued after cable cars collide over River Rhine in Cologne

Passengers, including children and babies, were winched to safety after cable line ground to a halt

German fire crews evacuating passengers from suspended cable cars (EPA/SASCHA STEINBACH)

Dozens of passengers, including children, had to be rescued after they became trapped inside cable cars dangling above the German city of Cologne.

Dramatic images shared on social media showed people being winched to safety, including a man with a baby in his arms.

Authorities said that 32 of the cars were operating on the line over the River Rhine when two of them collided, bringing the line to a shuddering halt.

Transport and fire department officials said that as many as 100 passengers of all ages were left stranded.

Witnesses reporting fire crews were using a mobile crane to lift people down.

Martina and Hans-Peter Rieger, aged in their 60s and from Dortmund, were among the first to be rescued.

The couple were celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary – and ended up trapped for an hour.

Mr Rieger told local media: “That will always be in our memory.

”Fortunately, we were also given direct hand signals that we should remain calm and there is nothing bad.“

Cologne’s mayor, Henriette Reker, praised the passengers for their patience.

She said: “They are in the best hands in Cologne’s Fire Brigade. Something like this has never happened before.”

The cableway over the Rhine has been operating since 1957 and is a popular tourist attraction, as well as being used by locals as a means of transport over the river.

Some reports speculated high winds may have caused an auxiliary cable to wrap around one of the cars.

The cable car company issued an apology for the mishap and said the cause was under investigation.