Emergency brakes on the cable car that crashed in northern Italy on Sunday, killing 14 people, had "intervened", prosecutors said, while three people were arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter and negligence.

The three, including the owner of the firm that manages the Stresa-Mottarone line near Lake Maggiore in Piedmont, allegedly made a "conscious gesture" by "interfering" with the emergency brakes in order to "avoid disruptions" to the cable car service. reports Ansa, citing Chief Prosecutor Olimpia Bossi.

The cable car system had "anomalies" since it resumed service in late April, she said. "[The cable car] had been traveling that way for a few days and had made some trips," Bossi said.

The cable car was transporting 15 people on the 20-minute journey between the resort town of Stresa and Mount Mottarone. It was a few feet from the destination when it fell 20 feet into the woods below. A 5-year-old boy, who is in intensive care in Turin, is the only survivor of the tragedy. Doctors said the boy had opened his eyes and the signs for life are positive.

The child's parents, Israeli citizens residing in Italy, his younger brother and grandparents did not survive. The other victims, including a six-year-old boy, were Italians and a man who was born in Iran and lived in Rome.

Hours after the incident, concerns were raised about the safety of Italy's transport infrastructure. The Ministry of Transport said that the cable car system was renovated in August 2016 and was totally checked for maintenance in 2017 as well as further inspections were carried out last year.

Sources: Guardian, Ansa