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The fatal inclined railway accident in Lisbon that cost 16 people in the beginning of September was triggered by a defective line, as stated by the official inquiry published on Monday.

The inquiry has recommended that Portugal's capital's similar transports stay non-operational until their security can be fully verified.

Details of the Tragic Incident

The collision occurred when the historic Glória cable car derailed and collided into a edifice, stunning the metropolis and highlighting serious concerns about the security of historic tourist attractions.

The nation's air and rail accident investigations bureau (the bureau) reported that a wire connecting two cabins had come loose moments before the incident on the third of September.

Initial Results

The early document indicated that the line failed to meet the mandatory requirements established by the urban public transport company.

The cable failed to comply with the specifications currently applicable to be employed for the Glória cable car.

The detailed report additionally advised that all inclined railways in the city should stay out of service until experts can verify they have adequate stopping mechanisms capable of immobilising the cars in the scenario of a wire failure.

Victims and Harm

Among the sixteen victims, 11 were non-Portuguese citizens, including 3 UK nationals, two Korean nationals, 2 Canadian nationals, one citizen of France, a Swiss national, an US national, and a Ukrainian national.

This accident also injured approximately 20 persons, comprising 3 British citizens.

The Portuguese victims comprised 4 workers from the equivalent welfare organization, whose offices are situated at the top of the sharp side road accessed by the inclined railway.

Background Information

The Glória funicular was inaugurated in 1885, using a method of counterweights to propel its 2 cars along its 870-foot track up and down a steep incline.

According to investigators, a standard check on the date of the accident found no issues with the wire that later failed.

The probers also stated that the operator had engaged the vehicle's stopping mechanism, but they were powerless to stop the car without the function of the counterweight system.

This complete event transpired in merely under a minute, as stated by the investigation.

Next Steps

The agency is expected to issue a final document with operational guidelines within the following twelve months, though an intermediary update may offer additional details on the status of the probe.