Portuguese authorities are investigating a deadly funicular crash that occurred in Lisbon on Wednesday, which resulted in the death of sixteen people and injuries to approximately twenty others. Preliminary findings from the national transport safety office indicate that a cable connecting the two carriages of the Glória funicular railway broke, while other components of the system were functioning as intended.
Investigators reported that the brakeman attempted to engage the emergency brakes upon the cable’s failure but was unable to prevent the derailment, leading to the upper carriage colliding with a building. Among those killed were five Portuguese citizens, three British nationals, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one American, one Ukrainian, one Swiss, and one French citizen.
The Glória funicular railway, which has been operational for 140 years, serves as an important mode of transportation for both residents and tourists navigating Lisbon’s steep inclines. Despite the brakeman activating pneumatic and manual brakes in response to the incident, it remains uncertain whether an automatic brake system was engaged as designed. The report notes that the carriage was traveling at an estimated speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) when it struck the building.
The investigation report, comprising seven pages, refrains from drawing definitive conclusions regarding the causes of the crash and highlights an ongoing uncertainty over the total number of passengers aboard the carriage, which has a capacity for approximately 40 individuals. Portugal’s Prime Minister Luis Montenegro referred to the event as a significant tragedy in the nation’s recent history.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dnp9pre2lo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss