Italian alps (file)Claudio Villa/Getty Images

A woman on a vacation in Italy plunged to her death in front of her family in Italy due to a mishap with a cable car.

Margherita Lega, a 41-year-old mother, died in front of her husband and two young children in Verbano Cusio Ossola.

The family was loading their suitcases onto a ski lift intended for luggage when it unexpectedly started, La Repubblica reported.

Margherita's clothing was caught, but she managed to hang on for several minutes before falling about 500 feet.

Piedmont Alpine and Speleological Rescue technicians used helicopters to reach her body.

Margheria leaves behind her husband and two children, ages 6 and 9.

The local mayor was shocked by the tragedy.

Mayor Silvia Tipaldi said, 'We are shocked, we are worried about this family. It happened in the late morning and the helicopter arrived to provide assistance."