Islamabad, Aug 22 (IANS): A Pakistan Army helicopter on Tuesday Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to rescue schoolchildren and a teacher who were left stranded midair after the cable of a chairlift snapped.

According to a statement from the government, the rescue operation will be carried out in a “very careful and deliberate manner” after making an aerial reconnaissance, Ary News reported.

Eight schoolchildren and their teacher have been stranded since 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Earlier, Commissioner Hazara Sultan Aamir said he has contacted the provincial govt and Pakistan Army for helicopter support.

In a previous incident, four people were killed as a cable plunged into the Indus River near Sammar Nallah area in district Upper Kohistan.

The deceased were crossing the river from Shitial to Tangir area of Gilgit-Baltistan, when the string holding the chairlift broke into two pieces, plunging them into the fast-flowing river.