Watch: Ski lift malfunction hurls holidaymakers into air

Skier downhill on snowy ski slope at cold sun morning. Georgia, region Gudauri. Caucasus Mountains in winter.

Footage has emerged of the terrifying moment a ski lift malfunctioned at a Georgian resort, forcing holidaymakers to jump for their lives.

According to the ABC, at least eight people were injured, including a Swede and a Ukranian.

The skiers were travelling downhill when the machine began to speed up, hurtling passengers into the air in the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range.

Many skiers were forced to jump from the lift as onlookers screamed in horror.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgYhwPgHu11/?utm_source=ig_embed

Local authorities reported the lift had a defect, causing it to double its normal speed, reports the ABC.

One skier, Yuri Leontyev, told CNN that the lift stopped and started going in reverse.

“We had to jump from it because at the bottom [of the hill] it was total trash and no chance to stay safe,” he said.

Officials say the victims are in stable conditions and the manufacturer is looking into what caused the malfunction.

Click here for more footage, but be warned, it may turn you off skiing for a while.

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