Nine people have died and two children are being treated in hospital after a mountaintop cable car plunged to the ground in northern Italy.

A photo of the wreckage taken by Italy’s fire service showed the crushed remains of the cable car in a clearing among a thick patch of pine trees near the summit of the Mottarone peak overlooking Lake Maggiore.

At that location, the cables of the ski lift were particularly high off the ground, said Walter Milan, spokesman for the Alpine rescue service. The cause has not been determined.

Mr Milan said the cable line was renovated in 2016 and had only recently reopened after coronavirus lockdowns forced the closures of ski lifts across Italy.

Mottarone reaches a height of 1,491m (4,900ft) and overlooks the picturesque lake and the surrounding Alps of Italy’s Piedmont region.

The mountain features a small amusement park, Alpyland, that has a children’s rollercoaster offering 360-degree views of the scenery.

Many Italian ski areas feature mountain bike paths and hiking trails that are popular in spring and summer.