COLOGNE - Dozens of people were left stranded in mid-air, some as high as 40m, over the River Rhine on Sunday (July 30) after a cable car crashed into a support pillar.

A dramatic rescue was staged by German fire crews using a crane to reach the 75 trapped passengers, according to the BBC.

Photos showed children clinging onto their parents as they were lowered to the ground.

There were no casualties during the accident, although the Guardian reported that a pregnant woman and a woman suffered slight injuries during the rescue operation.

Public transportation authorities said 32 cable cars were in operation at the time of the accident.

It was not clear what caused the mishap, which caused the entire system to come to a standstill.

Couple Martina and Hans-Peter Rieger, the first to be rescued, told the Guardian that they were on a cable car ride to celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary.

Mr Rieger said the rescue crew used hand signals to get them to remain calm and that the incident was "nothing bad".

"That will always be in our memory," he added.