The Leicestershire school where Elaine Winn worked has paid tribute to her after Thursday's cable car crash in Italy. Elaine, 58, died alongside her husband Graeme, 65, and two others in the tragedy at Monte Faito, near Naples.
She worked as business manager at Welland Park Academy in Market Harborough and the school has described Elaine as a dedicated member of staff. Plans are in place to offer support to pupils at the school when they return after the Easter break
The Welland Park Academy spokesperson said: “Elaine was a much loved and highly respected member of our school community. Her professionalism, warmth, and unwavering dedication to school life touched the lives of students, staff, and families alike.
READ MORE: More tributes to 'lovely couple' killed in cable car tragedy
“She gave so much to the school beyond her role, and many students will have fond memories of her from the school trips she supported over the years. The care and kindness she showed to everyone in our community means her loss will be felt deeply by us all.
“We are currently supporting our staff and preparing to support our students as they return from the Easter break. Plans are also being made to commemorate Elaine’s life in a meaningful way within the school.
“We kindly ask that the privacy of Elaine’s family, and that of our school community, be respected as we come to terms with this loss.”
It is believed that the wire snapped and the brakes failed when they were 20 seconds away from arriving at the top of a mountain, causing the cable car to fall to the ground.
An Israeli national and the Italian driver of the cable car also died, while a fifth person was seriously injured in the incident, it was reported.
Mr and Mrs Winn lived in Market Harborough and were both members of a local bikers’ group.
A spokesman for the mayor of Castellammare, where the tragedy happened, said another cable car was descending when its brakes switched on as “there was something that wasn’t working” and safety systems were triggered.
He said: “We are hypothesising that as the cable cars were moving at the same time. The one at the top was meant to arrive, [it] was around 20 to 25 seconds from the entrance of the station at the top, except the wire broke and the brake did not work because the cabin started to move backwards as it was on a slope.
“It went backwards and ended up on a pylon and it fell. It didn’t fall perpendicular at 25 metres, it went a lot further back.
“The first thing that would’ve happened is that the wire snapped and then the brakes didn’t work. At the moment it’s all a hypothesis that the wire snapped and the brakes system did not start.”
Ten people had to be taken down from the other cable car, the spokesman said. An investigation over multiple manslaughter and culpable disaster charges has been opened by Italian prosecutors, according to reports
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