What was behind the worst accident in the history of Lisbon’s funiculars?
Four investigations are underway to shed light on what happened
Two days after the derailment of Lisbon’s second-oldest funicular, details of the nationality of the victims have been cleared up, but the cause of the worst accident in the history of the capital’s century-old cable railways is yet to be established.
Who are the deceased?
The 16 fatalities are from seven different countries, although three of the dead are yet to be identified. Five Portuguese, two South Koreans, two Canadians, an American, a Ukrainian, a German and a Swiss national died in the Gloria funicular derailment, according to data from the Judicial Police. Among the dead is the transport brakeman, André Jorge Gonçalves Marques. The four Portuguese passengers who died in the crash worked for the Santa Casa da Misericordia NGO. They had left work together and taken the funicular shortly after 6 p.m. Of the 22 injured, nine are in serious condition with six in intensive care. The 13 who suffered minor injuries have already been discharged.
What caused the accident?
One possible explanation is the breakage of a cable that linked the two funiculars, traveling in opposing directions during a short journey — they barely take two minutes to travel 265 meters — although the reason behind that breakage is unknown. This would have caused the descending funicular to reach a high speed before derailing on a curve and colliding with a building.
The vehicle had been inspected for half an hour the morning of the accident and was deemed safe to operate. The technicians’ report stated that the cable was in good condition and that it would not need to be replaced for another 263 days.
When will the investigations conclude?
Four simultaneous investigations are underway: one by the Judicial Police, which has recovered elements such as a video camera at the scene of the accident that might contain footage of the tragedy; another initiated by the Attorney General’s Office; another by the municipal transport company Carris, which managed the funicular. And finally, an investigation of a more technical nature by the Cabinet for the Prevention and Investigation of Accidents with Aircraft and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF). Its director, Nelson Rodrigues de Oliveira, announced that he will deliver the preliminary report in 45 days.
The reactions?
The mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, who is running for reelection in a few weeks, ordered the service of three similar funiculars to be stopped until a technical evaluation is complete. Funiculars, as well as trams, are a favorite tourist attraction in Lisbon. The Gloria funicular carried around three million passengers each year. The president of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who laid a bouquet of flowers at the site of the accident on September 4 along with the mayor and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, has demanded that the causes be clarified “as quickly as possible” although he also indicated that it is “time to mourn the dead” and “take care of the injured.”
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