10 hours ago
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A cable linking two carriages snapped shortly before Wednesday’s funicular crash in Lisbon that killed 16 people, accident inspectors have said in a report.
An operator tried to apply emergency brakes but failed to prevent the derailment, investigators added.
The findings were published on Saturday by Portugal’s air and rail accident investigations bureau (GPIAAF) into the incident that left at least 20 others injured with five people in a critical condition.
A scheduled visual inspection had been carried out on the morning of the accident but the area where the cable broke was “not visible without dismantling” and the rest of the mechanism was functioning properly, the report added.
The carriages of the city’s iconic Glória funicular had travelled no more than six metres when they “suddenly lost the balancing force of the connecting cable”.
The vehicle’s brake‑guard immediately “activated the pneumatic brake as well as the manual brake” but the measures “had no effect in reducing the vehicle’s speed”, the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents and Railway Accidents said.
According to the initial findings, the Elevador da Glória crashed into a building at a speed of 60km/h (37mph) and the whole incident happened in 50 seconds.
“According to the evidence observed so far, the scheduled maintenance plan was up to date, and a scheduled visual inspection had been conducted on the morning of the accident, which detected no anomalies in the vehicles’ cable or braking systems,” the agency said.
The statement added that the cable was only 337 days into its expected 600-day operational life and it remains unclear how many passengers were travelling in the carriage – which can hold about 40 people – and how many were on the street.
Two separate investigations are now under way into the accident: one carried out by the accident investigators’ office and another by the prosecutors’ office. The GPIAAF said the two investigations were entirely independent of each other and it will publish a preliminary report into the accident within 45 days.
Investigators had already announced that 11 foreign nationals were among the fatalities. Three Britons, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one Frenchwoman, one Swiss, one American and one Ukrainian were identified among the victims.
The families of a British couple killed, Kayleigh Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44, paid tribute to them and said they were “heartbroken”. In a statement issued by police on Saturday, Smith’s family said: “Kayleigh was loved by family and friends for her wit and humour, her kind and caring nature came to the fore in her work as a funeral operative.
“She was also a talented theatre director and had just completed a master’s degree. They both leave family and friends heartbroken.”
In the same police statement, Nelson’s brother, who was not named, said: “Words cannot begin to describe how our family and friends are feeling right now but here is the best attempt. This week, due to a tragic accident in Lisbon, Portugal, we lost Will Nelson, who was not just my big brother but everyone’s.
“He was always kind, selfless, and protective, and the world does not feel right or normal without him. He was and has always been my hero, and we will miss you always. Love you, rest in peace you legend.”
