The sole survivor of the Stresa-Mottarone cable car crash who lost five members of his family in the fatal accident is at the centre of a heated adoption battle.

Five-year-old Eitan was the lone survivor of the accident that took place when a traction cable snapped around 16 feet from the summit of northern Italy’s mount Mottarone (4,895 ft) on 23rd May.

A pneumatic safety brake should have prevented the cable car from plunging into the wooded area. However, it had been illegally disabled.

Amongst the 14 dead were his father, 30, mother, 26, baby brother, 2, and great-grandparents, 81 and 71.

Eitan very nearly succumbed himself, and he was taken to hospital with serious injuries, operated on and placed in an induced coma, which he miraculously pulled through from.

His paternal aunt Aya, who lives in Italy and who has children around the same age, took Eitan under her care without going through the formal adoption process.

This irked Eitan’s maternal grandmother, who flew from her home in Israel to Italy to claim custody of the child.

The bitter dispute has drawn in the authorities, and now a judge must rule on who will raise the youngster.

Eitan is currently receiving psychological treatment and medical checkups, and the psychologists and doctors have been tasked with determining who is the more suitable custodian.

When asked “Would you rather live with your grandmother or aunt”, he is said to have replied “I just want to be with my mum and dad”.

The proceedings are ongoing.