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This tragic cable car accident in Portugal's capital that took sixteen lives in early September was caused by a faulty cable, as stated by the official probe published on Monday.

The inquiry has urged that Lisbon's equivalent transports stay non-operational until their operational integrity can be fully confirmed.

Specifics of the Deadly Accident

This crash happened when the historic Glória funicular derailed and collided into a building, stunning the capital and raising significant worries about the safety of older tourist attractions.

Portugal's air and rail accident investigations bureau (the bureau) noted that a wire linking two cars had detached just before the tragedy on the third of September.

Early Results

This early analysis indicated that the cable was not up to the required requirements set by the urban public transport company.

This line failed to comply with the standards mandated to be employed for the Glória funicular.

The detailed analysis further advised that all funiculars in Lisbon must remain out of service until inspectors can ensure they have effective stopping mechanisms capable of stopping the cabins in the scenario of a wire failure.

Victims and Harm

Among the sixteen victims, 11 were international visitors, featuring 3 British individuals, two South Koreans, 2 Canadian nationals, a Frenchwoman, one citizen of Switzerland, an US national, and one Ukrainian national.

The incident also harmed about twenty individuals, comprising 3 British citizens.

Among the national victims featured 4 workers from the equivalent social care institution, whose premises are situated at the top of the steep alley accessed by the funicular.

Historical Details

The Elevador da Glória was inaugurated in the late 19th century, using a mechanism of balancing weights to drive its 2 compartments along its 870-foot path up and down a steep incline.

As per the bureau, a standard examination on the day of the crash found no anomalies with the wire that eventually broke.

This experts also noted that the driver had engaged the vehicle's braking system, but they were powerless to stop the car without the support of the counterweight system.

This entire incident occurred in just 50 seconds, as stated by the probe.

Upcoming Actions

The bureau is expected to release a conclusive document with safety suggestions within the coming year, though an interim document may provide additional information on the progress of the inquiry.