Communiqué de presse
L'accident du plateau de Bure
Paris, le 1er juillet 1999
Le CNRS déplore la disparition des employés de l’Institut de RadioAstronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) et des entreprises travaillant à l’Observatoire.
Le CNRS et les personnels expriment leur compassion et présentent leurs condoléances aux familles des victimes.
Communiqué
du Directeur de l'Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers, du Directeur
du Max-Planck-Gesellschaft et du Directeur de l'Instituto Geographico
Nacional, suite à l'accident du Plateau de Bure.
I RAM - PLATEAU DE BURE OBSERVATORY - ACCIDENT OF THE CABLECAR
It is with deepest sorrow that the IRAM Direction and the IRAM Partner
Organisations (CNRS, IGN, MPG) have to announce the loss of 20 lives,
caused by a terrible accident that hit the cablecar at the Plateau de
Bure. On July 1st, 1999, at 7:15 a.m., while the cabin was on its way
from the ground station at an altitude of 1500m to the Plateau de Bure
which is at an altitude of 2550m, an anomaly occurred which appears to
have caused the cabin to reverse motion, probably accelerating, before
it was destroyed when hitting the ground and continuing to tumble downwards.
There were no survivors.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends who have
lost their beloved in this tragic accident. Some of them have been working
for IRAM for more then 10 years. Equally, our thoughts are with the families
of the employees of companies who have been sub-contracted to work on
the Plateau de Bure in connection with the construction of a new antenna
for the interferometer, and the extension of the tracks on which the interferometer
antennas are moved.
At present there is no explanation as to why this accident could happen.
The cablecar has been under regular maintenance by a dedicated IRAM team,
and under supervision by the official safety authorities. The latest official
inspection took place in December 1998.
For IRAM and its Partner Organisations it is absolutely essential that
the cause of this terrible accident be found as soon as possible.
Prof. Dr. M.GREWING
Directeur IRAM
Dr. S. GUILLOTEAU
Directeur Adjoint IRAM
Prof. Dr. J.-F. MINSTER
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers
Prof. Dr. H. MARKL
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften
Prof. Dr. J. GOMEZ GONZALEZ
Instituto Geografico Nacional
Grenoble, July 2nd 1999
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