Ski-lift failure in Georgia sends people flying into the air (Video)

A ski lift in the country of Georgia experienced a massive mechanical failure that appeared to dramatically increase its speed while going in reverse, which forced many of its passengers to jump before they were thrown into the air.

Dramatic video captured images of skiers being thrown off of a malfunctioning ski lift at a resort in the country of Georgia Friday.

Authorities said at least 10 people were injured when the ski lift at the Gudauri resort began running at high speed, in reverse.

Georgia's state-owned Mountain Resorts Development Company told CNN the injured were taken to the resort's clinic. Ski patrol and three ambulance crew members were deployed to the scene, the Mountain Company said.

"According to initial information, Sadzele ski lift in Gudauri resort, located in the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range stopped working, chairs crashed into each other with riders suspended in the air, causing health injury of medium gravity," the company said in a statement. "As a result, according to preliminary data, 10 people were injured."

The Mountain Company added that it has contacted the ski lift manufacturer, the Doppelmayr Garaventa group, to investigate the cause of the incident.

Video of the incident shows the out-of-control lift fling passengers high into the air as their chairs were ripped from the lift’s railing. With more chairs racing down at a high speed, many passengers threw themselves into the snow to evade crashing into the pile of damaged chairs piling up at the bottom.