THIS is the moment families were left stranded in the sky after gondolas crashed in a horrifying mid-air pile-up.

Stomach-churning footage showed the cabins swinging above the ground as the entire tower shook under their weight.

A fourth gondola headed towards the congested stretch of cableway

One woman dangles from a rope as she is brought to safety

Sixteen people, including four children, said they faced “the greatest fear of their lives” while stranded in the sky.

The gondolas had been travelling across the Volga river in Russia when the cableway system unexpectedly broke down.

Two cable cars had already been left stranded on the ride when a third gondola glided towards them, followed by a fourth one a short while later.

Dramatic footage shows the hangers of the cabins grinding against one another on the overhead wire, sparking fears one of the cabins could plummet to the ground.

Terrified passengers were trapped in their cabins for more than an hour before they were rescued.

Footage showed passengers clinging onto ropes as they were lowered to safety.

The cableway stretches more than two miles over a river, linking the large city of Nizhny Novgorod to the town of Bor.

Heavy rains and strong winds had battered the gondola station and forced the system to shut down unexpectedly, officials said.

A relieved passenger is lowered down by a rope and harness

Four cable carts piled up after a terrifying systems break down

Russian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The gondola ride is not only a popular tourist attraction but is also a vital transport link for commuters.

It has been operating since 2012 with a high point of 310ft.

Rescued passengers thanked the emergency crews and admitted that they had experienced “perhaps the greatest fear of their lives”.

But local reporter Mark Grigoryev said: “It is not some kind of catastrophe”.

“The cable car has been operating since 2012 and there have been various interruptions”, he added. “Everyone was rescued”.

It comes after a horror cable car crash killed four people in Italy in April.

Two Brits were among those found dead after a cable line snapped and sent a cabin plummeting to the ground.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16643253/cable-car-breakdown-leaves-families-dangling-200-ft/