Investigators in Portugal have confirmed that a cable failure was the immediate cause of a deadly funicular crash that occurred in Lisbon, resulting in the tragic deaths of 16 individuals and injuries to approximately 20 others.
The national transport safety office stated that the cable connecting the two carriages had snapped, rendering the rest of the funicular's mechanisms functional. The incident, which unfolded on Wednesday, involved the upper carriage of the iconic Glória funicular railway hurtling down the slope and crashing into a building.
In attempts to mitigate the disaster, the brakeman activated emergency brakes; however, these actions proved futile in preventing the derailment. The funicular was reportedly traveling at about 60 km/h (37 mph) at the time of the crash.
Among the deceased, there were five Portuguese nationals, three Britons, approximately ten others from different nationalities, including South Korea, Canada, Ukraine, Switzerland, and France, according to authorities. The funicular has served as vital transport for residents and tourists alike in Lisbon for nearly 140 years.
The cable involved in the crash had only been in operation for 337 days, just under its expected 600-day life span, leading to questions about maintenance protocols. While intensive investigations are underway to assess the situation, no definitive conclusions have yet been reached. A detailed preliminary report is expected to emerge within the next 45 days.
Portugal's Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, described the disaster as one of the most significant tragedies in the nation’s recent history.
