Police to question cable car death family

The family of Cara Weaver (front) saw the accident

South African police want to question the family of a British teenager who was crushed to death in by a cable car to gain more details of how the accident happened.

The family of 14-year-old Cara Weaver were "too shocked" to be interviewed after the accident at the top of Table Mountain, near Cape Town, said South African police spokesman Captain Andre Traut.

Her father Bob, 50, mother Gilly, 52, and 15-year-old brother Callum, from Osmington near Weymouth, Dorset, watched the horror unfold.

Police want to know why Cara was in a marked no-go zone as she prepared to abseil down the mountain.

Cara became entangled in the cable car system

Moments before the tragedy on Wednesday, the teenager had been warned to move away from the danger zone, according to John Harrison, managing director of Table Mountain Cableway.

Cara was sitting beneath the cable car system when her head became caught in its hydraulic moving mechanism and her neck was broken, said Mr Traut.

He added: "An inquest to establish the cause of the accident and if anyone is liable will be held."

An inquest date has not been set and criminal charges have not been pressed against anyone.

Mr Weaver, who runs his own electronics company and Mrs Weaver, a yoga teacher, along with their son are staying with friends in Cape Town.

They had been on a safari and adventure holiday to Namibia and South Africa.

Table Mountain is popular with abseilers

A British High Commission spokesman said no firm arrangements had yet been made for the return of the body to Britain.

He said: "The family are obviously still very distraught at this time."

Mr Harrison, who spent 40 minutes trying to revive Cara, said: "They were in a restricted no-go area, a part of the mountain that is very dangerous and has a number of cable guides. It is clearly marked."

Cara was airlifted by helicopter to the Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Pinelands where she was pronounced dead.

Cara's grandfather, Les Weaver, 79, from Barnstaple in Devon, said the girl had "everything to live for".

He said the family were always very safety conscious, adding: "Bob was a safety officer for the firm he used to work for and was always very conscious of safety."