Faulty Line Resulted in Portuguese Capital Cable Car Accident, Investigation Reveals
The deadly cable car incident in Lisbon that claimed sixteen lives in early September was triggered by a damaged cable, per the official inquiry released on Monday.
The probe has urged that Portugal's capital's similar vehicles remain halted until their safety can be completely verified.
Details of the Deadly Incident
The accident happened when the 19th-century Glória funicular left the rails and crashed into a structure, shocking the city and raising significant fears about the reliability of historic visitor sites.
Portugal's accident investigation agency (the investigative body) stated that a wire connecting two cabins had come loose shortly before the tragedy on September 3rd.
Initial Findings
This preliminary report confirmed that the wire did not meet the required standards outlined by the urban transport operator.
The wire did not comply with the standards in force to be used for the Glória cable car.
This detailed document further advised that all funiculars in Lisbon must stay suspended until inspectors can verify they have adequate brakes able of stopping the cabins in the case of a line snap.
Fatalities and Harm
Among the sixteen casualties, 11 were non-Portuguese citizens, comprising three British individuals, two Korean nationals, two Canadians, a French national, a Swiss national, an US national, and one Ukrainian national.
The accident also hurt around 20 people, among them 3 Britons.
The Portuguese victims featured 4 staff members from the identical social care institution, whose workplace are located at the summit of the sheer alley used by the inclined railway.
Operational Details
This Glória funicular was inaugurated in 1885, using a system of counterweights to propel its two compartments along its 265-metre route up and down a sharp hill.
Based on the bureau, a standard inspection on the date of the incident identified no anomalies with the cable that subsequently snapped.
This probers also reported that the conductor had applied the vehicle's braking system, but they were powerless to stop the car without the support of the counterweight system.
This whole incident occurred in just under a minute, according to the probe.
Future Measures
The investigative body is scheduled to release a final document with security recommendations within the coming year, though an intermediary document may deliver more details on the status of the investigation.