Lisbon Funicular Crash Report Reveals Serious Safety Failures

Tue Oct 21 2025 23:38:48 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A preliminary investigation into the tragic Lisbon funicular crash that resulted in 16 fatalities has highlighted significant oversights and inadequate safety measures that led to the disaster.

The initial report from Portugal's Air and Rail Accident Investigations Bureau into the September 3 crash of the Glória funicular shows that a defective and uncertified cable was responsible for the incident. The report has also flagged failures in maintenance and oversight by the operating company, Carris, which has resulted in personnel changes. Moving forward, all Lisbon cable cars are to undergo rigorous safety checks.

A preliminary report into last month's funicular crash in Lisbon that killed 16 people has detailed a litany of failings.

Portugal's Air and Rail Accident Investigations Bureau stated that a defective underground cable - which acted as a counterweight between two carriages and broke, causing the crash - had never been certified for passenger transportation. Furthermore, it was deemed technically unsuitable, acquired by Carris, the company running Lisbon's public transport, in 2022. Carris has since dismissed its head of maintenance for the funiculars and trams.

The tragic Glória funicular, a 140-year-old attraction for tourists, derailed and crashed into a building on September 3.

Among the dead were 11 foreigners, including three British nationals, while another 20 individuals were injured. The preliminary report, released on Monday, revealed a lack of oversight by Carris engineers and that the cable was not tested before installation.

Inspections from an outsourced maintenance company gave the funicular an all-clear on the morning of the disaster, although it remains uncertain if the inspection happened that day. Notably, the emergency brake system, which was activated by the driver during the cable failure, did not function correctly and was never tested prior, according to the report.

The report emphasized that the information gathered to date was incomplete, necessitating further tests and analyses. It stated clearly that the guilt or responsibility of any organization or individual involved in the incident should not be presumed.

Lisbon's Mayor Carlos Moedas, re-elected on October 12 amidst accusations of negligence regarding the city's funiculars, commented that the report reaffirms that the unfortunate tragedy... was due to technical and not political causes.

Carris asserted that the non-conformities related to the cable have not been conclusively linked to the accident, noting the cables had operated on the Glória funicular for 601 days without incident.

The investigation will explore further factors influencing the cable's rupture, with recommendations for implementing a new safety management system in line with European standards. The full report is expected to take about 11 months to finalize, but a more detailed interim report will be issued if delays occur.

Meanwhile, all Lisbon cable cars have been ordered out of service until necessary safety checks can be completed. All braking systems must be reviewed to determine their capability to stop carriages in the event of cable failure, which was not the case in the Glória incident, according to the recommendations.

The report also suggested closing a loophole that allows Lisbon's historic funiculars to be exempt from the legal and supervisory oversight applicable to other cable-operated transport systems.