VANCOUVER—The impact of the Sea to Sky Gondola closure has started to ripple through Squamish, B.C. as police continue their investigation into the dramatic act of sabotage.

The gondola, a popular tourist attraction, collapsed shortly after 4:30 a.m. Saturday after its steel cable was deliberately cut, according to RCMP who are conducting a criminal investigation into the incident.

Couples who planned to celebrate their nuptials at the mountaintop venue in the coming weeks are scrambling to find alternate venues, as more than 200 people employed by the Sea to Sky Gondola face uncertainty over the fate of their jobs.

The Squamish community, meanwhile, is pulling together to help lessen the impact.

Ken Bailey, a spokesperson for the Sea to Sky Gondola, said the company is actively putting together a plan to address staffing concerns.

Other Squamish-area businesses have reached out to offer staff employment if needed in the short-term, he told Star Vancouver on Sunday.

Squamish wedding planner Caroline Hyatt said she heard local vendors also pulled together to relocate a wedding that was meant to take place at Sea to Sky just hours after the main gondola cable was cut.

“It just goes to show what kind of community Squamish is, we’re all here to help each other,” she said.

Related: B.C. investigators say Sea to Sky Gondola cable may have been intentionally cut

The gondola, located just south of Squamish, climbs 830 metres and reaches an elevation of 885 metres above Howe Sound. Its 30 cars can carry 240 passengers.

Cst. Ashley MacKay said the RCMP is “confident” its main cable, which is made up of several steel strands, was deliberately cut.

“I can’t speculate what tool would be used but obviously it can be done,” she said.

The cable was cut about halfway up the route and “it would be very technical and precarious to get to,” MacKay said in a statement.

“This type of incident resonates with everyone, as we all recognize the impact of what could have happened,” she said.

“We’re just thankful that it did happen when it did and that it didn’t affect or injure any tourists or employees of the Sea to Sky Gondola.”

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

Technical Safety B.C., which oversees the safety of passenger ropeways such as gondolas and chairlifts, is also investigating the incident.

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While Bailey said the Basecamp Cafe is expected to reopen in a few days, it remains unclear when the gondola or summit operations will reopen. The Sea to Summit trail also remains closed.

Hyatt, who owns Love & Confetti Wedding and Event Planning, is now working to help five couples find alternate venues for weddings booked at Sea to Sky in the next two months.

One wedding was booked for Friday.

“I called them first thing in the morning yesterday when I heard … and she cried, most of my couples have cried because this is a complete shock, it’s so close to the wedding date,” Hyatt told Star Vancouver Sunday.

“It’s super stressful, there’s thousands of dollars invested into this,” she said.

But they’re “making the best of the situation,” she said.

And luckily there are a couple of alternate options available.

Rachael Lythe, the founder of the wedding planning company Sea to Sky Celebrations, said she’s “very upset about the incident.”

“I just can’t even believe someone would do this. It’s just a catastrophe on many different levels,” she said.

Sea to Sky is “a beautiful venue and we love working with them,” Lythe said.

“Obviously the views are phenomenal up there,” she said. “It can be quite the experience for people.”

Lythe said Sunday she has a couple upcoming weddings that planned to hold their ceremonies and a cocktail hour at Sea to Sky. If these need to be relocated, she said she’ll look to Whistler, where the receptions are already booked, as another mountaintop option.

“The Sea to Sky Gondola has been a great addition to Squamish’s tourism industry and has been very successful at delivering on quality experiences for their guests since they opened,” said Tourism Squamish executive director Lesley Weeks in a statement.

“We are very thankful that no one was hurt,” she said, adding that they hope the gondola will be back in operation as soon as possible.

With files from Jesse Winter

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