A young boy is safe after a harrowing incident at Valdesquí ski resort near Madrid this past weekend, where he was seen dangling from the bottom of a chairlift before being rescued by a group of quick-thinking skiers. Footage from the scene shows the child clinging to the lift’s safety bar, his legs swinging in the air, as shocked onlookers called for help. According to witnesses, the lift had already begun moving before staff were alerted to the emergency and eventually brought it to a stop.
The Daily Mail reports that Pedro José Ruiz Tamaral, 47, was one of the first to respond after hearing cries for help and spotting the child hanging from the lift. He quickly got the attention of resort staff, who brought the chairlift to a stop after it had traveled around 20 meters (6o feet). Meanwhile, other skiers removed the padding from nearby support poles—normally used for collision protection—and repurposed it as a landing cushion. Working together, the group instructed the boy to take off his skis and drop safely into the padding they held beneath him. The plan worked: the child dropped safely into the impromptu catch system and landed unharmed.
The incident, captured on video, has drawn praise for the bystanders’ fast action and coordination under pressure. Resort staff responded quickly once alerted, and no injuries were reported. For the boy involved, the outcome was a fortunate one—thanks to a group of strangers who turned foam padding into a life-saving solution within seconds.
