🔗 Share this article

The tragic cable car incident in Lisbon that cost 16 victims in the beginning of September was attributed to a damaged line, according to the formal inquiry issued on Monday.

This investigation has recommended that Lisbon's equivalent cable cars stay halted until their safety can be thoroughly verified.

Particulars of the Devastating Incident

This accident took place when the old Elevador da Glória left the rails and smashed into a edifice, shocking the city and sparking serious worries about the security of ageing tourist attractions.

The nation's transport safety authority (GPIAAF) stated that a cable connecting two compartments had detached just before the incident on 3 September.

Preliminary Conclusions

This early document confirmed that the wire was not up to the specified standards outlined by the local transit authority.

The cable did not comply with the standards in force to be used for the Glória cable car.

The 35-page document additionally urged that the remaining funiculars in the city must stay out of service until experts can verify they have adequate stopping mechanisms designed of stopping the cabins in the scenario of a wire failure.

Casualties and Harm

Of the 16 casualties, eleven were foreign nationals, including three British individuals, 2 Korean nationals, two Canadians, one Frenchwoman, one Swiss, one US national, and one citizen of Ukraine.

The crash also harmed approximately twenty people, among them 3 UK nationals.

The Portuguese victims featured 4 staff members from the identical social care institution, whose offices are located at the summit of the sharp side road accessed by the funicular.

Historical Details

This Glória began operation in the late 19th century, using a method of balancing weights to move its two compartments along its 265-metre path up and down a steep slope.

According to the bureau, a regular examination on the morning of the crash found no anomalies with the wire that later snapped.

This experts also stated that the operator had engaged the funicular's stopping mechanism, but they were powerless to stop the vehicle without the assistance of the balancing mechanism.

This entire event unfolded in merely less than a minute, according to the inquiry.

Future Actions

The investigative body is anticipated to publish a definitive analysis with operational recommendations within the coming year, though an interim report may provide more updates on the development of the probe.