LISBON — A preliminary report from Portuguese accident investigators has revealed that a cable linking the two carriages of the Lisbon funicular snapped shortly before the deadly crash that killed 16 people. The investigation found that despite daily visual checks and a recent maintenance schedule, the failure occurred at a point that was not visible without dismantling the system.
According to the report by Portugal’s air and rail accident investigations bureau (GPIAAF), the funicular’s operator, who was also among the deceased, attempted to activate both the pneumatic and manual brakes. However, the loss of the balancing force from the snapped cable meant the brakes “had no effect in reducing the vehicle’s speed.” The descending carriage, the Elevador da Glória, then careened down the steep hill, reaching a speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) before it derailed and crashed into a building. The entire tragic incident unfolded in just 50 seconds.
The report also noted that the cable, which had an expected operational life of 600 days, was only 337 days into service. A scheduled visual inspection conducted on the morning of the accident had detected no anomalies in the cable or braking systems. However, investigators noted that the specific section of the cable that failed was at a hidden fixation point inside the cabin, making it impossible to detect during routine checks.
The tragic accident on Wednesday claimed the lives of 16 people, including 11 foreign nationals. Among the victims were three Britons, two South Koreans, two Canadians, and one person each from France, Switzerland, the United States, and Ukraine. Five Portuguese citizens were also killed, including the brakeman, André Marques, and four employees of a local charitable organization.
Two separate and independent investigations are now underway: one by the GPIAAF and another by the prosecutors’ office. The GPIAAF has promised to release a preliminary report within 45 days, with the final conclusions expected in about a year.
