Sea to Sky Gondola's new security system failed during 2nd cable-cutting incident, lawsuit says

The operators of the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, B.C., have filed a lawsuit claiming its new "state-of-the-art"security systemfailedwhen a vandal climbed one of the attraction'stowers and cut throughitscable for the second time in two years.

The claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Monday said themotion-activated alarm wasinstalled in early 2020, months after the cables were severed for the first time in summer 2019.

The beefed-upsystem was supposed to prevent history from repeating itself.

Within the year, history did anyway.

"The alarm was not triggered at any point up to or during [the 2020] security breach," the lawsuit read.

"As a result of the security breach and the alarm failure, the vandal was able to sever the cable which parted catastrophically."

The company's allegations have not been provenand the security company, Unified Systems(USI), has not filed a response to the claim in court.

Alarm didn't have any power on night in question, claim says

The gondola company said it hired USI to design anewsecurity system in January 2020, five months after the first cable-cutting incidentthe previous August.

"Seato Sky ... made it clear to [the firm] that security was paramount so as to ensure that such an event would not happen again," the claim read.

USI said it would installa "state-of-the-art, custom" security system to run around the clock, according to the lawsuit. If triggered, the lawsuit said, the alarm was supposed toactivate bright lights and a blaring PA system warning intruders they were on camera and police had been notified.

WATCH |Footage shows security guard narrowly avoids being hit by gondolacars in 2020:

Falling gondola cars narrowly miss security guard

2 years ago

Duration 0:36

A security video shows a security guard holding a flashlight narrowly avoiding being hit by falling gondola cars on Sept.14, 2020.

The system was installed in February 2020.

That September, someone walked up to one of the gondola's towers, scaled its ladder and sliced thecable again.

The lawsuit claimed the alarm failed because it wasn't getting enough or any power at the time. It claimedUSI has more details about what went wrongbut that they would only be provided to the court "on a confidential basis" if the case goes to trial.

The company has previously saiddamage from both incidentscost more than $10 million.

The lawsuit claims damages for breach of contract and negligence.

No arrests made

Both crimes are still unsolved.

At a news conference marking the two-year anniversary of the second incident on Wednesday, RCMPreleased a profile and a thermal image of the suspect in one orboth cases.

Investigatorsbelieve the suspect would be "extremely fit" and deeplyfamiliar with the surrounding area and the tools one would need to sever such acable and escape unhurt.

Police are considering criminal charges of mischief and of mischief endangering a life because a security guardwas nearly killed by the falling gondola cars in 2020.

WATCH |B.C. RCMP Sgt. Chris Manseau delivers information about the suspect:

RCMP provide suspect profile of gondola vandal

2 years ago

Duration 0:49

B.C. RCMP Sgt. Chris Manseau says the individual who cut the Sea to Sky gondola cable is physically fit and knows the area well.

The attraction draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, carrying passengers up a steep mountain ridge near the Stawamus Chief for panoramic views of Howe Sound. It's also a significant player in the$95-million local tourism sector, according to Tourism Squamish.

The company isoffering a $500,000 rewardfor anyone with information leading to anarrest and conviction.

It hassince hired anin-house security team.