A faulty cable that snapped caused the Lisbon funicular crash which killed 16 people in September, a preliminary inquiry has found. The accident happened on the 19th-century Elevador da Glória, which careered off the rails and hit a building.
Portugal's air and rail accident investigations bureau (GPIAAF) said the cable was not up to the specifications required by the city's transport operator, CCFL. The report stated: “The cable did not comply with the specifications in force at the CCFL to be used for the Glória tram.”
The GPIAAF recommended that the city's other funiculars remain out of service until inspectors confirm they have braking systems capable of stopping the cabins in the event of a cable break. Eleven of the 16 victims were foreign nationals, including three British citizens, with about 20 people injured, among them three Britons.
A routine inspection on the morning of the accident had found nothing unusual about the cable. The driver activated the brakes, but they were unable to stop the carriage without the help of the counterweight system. A final report with safety recommendations is expected within a year.
