🔗 Share this article

This deadly funicular incident in Lisbon that claimed 16 people in the start of the ninth month was attributed to a damaged cable, as stated by the formal inquiry issued on the start of the week.

The inquiry has advised that Portugal's capital's equivalent vehicles stay non-operational until their safety can be thoroughly verified.

Particulars of the Tragic Accident

This accident happened when the old Glória cable car left the rails and collided into a building, shocking the capital and raising grave concerns about the safety of historic landmarks.

Portugal's transport safety authority (GPIAAF) noted that a line linking two compartments had detached moments before the crash on 3 September.

Early Conclusions

The preliminary report indicated that the cable did not meet the specified standards established by the urban public transport company.

This cable failed to comply with the requirements in force to be employed for the Glória cable car.

This detailed report additionally urged that other funiculars in the capital ought to stay suspended until inspectors can confirm they have adequate braking systems capable of immobilising the vehicles in the case of a line snap.

Fatalities and Harm

Among the sixteen fatalities, 11 were international visitors, featuring three UK nationals, two citizens of South Korea, 2 citizens of Canada, a French national, a citizen of Switzerland, an US national, and one Ukrainian national.

This crash also injured approximately 20 people, among them three UK nationals.

The local victims comprised four employees from the identical care facility, whose premises are positioned at the top of the sheer street accessed by the cable car.

Historical Information

The Glória was inaugurated in 1885, using a system of weight compensation to drive its two cars along its 870-foot path up and down a steep hill.

Based on authorities, a routine inspection on the date of the incident identified no issues with the cable that eventually broke.

This investigators also reported that the driver had applied the cable car's stopping mechanism, but they were powerless to stop the carriage without the assistance of the weight compensation system.

This complete crash occurred in merely less than a minute, according to the investigation.

Future Steps

This investigative body is scheduled to issue a definitive report with security guidelines within the next year, though an intermediary report may deliver further information on the progress of the investigation.