LISBON, Portugal, 21 October (H.S.): A preliminary report released on Monday into last month’s fatal Glória funicular crash has revealed a litany of critical failures, attributing the disaster to a defective and uncertified cable, an ineffective emergency brake system, and inadequate oversight. The derailment on September 3, which killed 16 people and injured 20, involved one of the city’s most iconic tourist attractions.

According to Portugal’s Air and Rail Accident Investigations Bureau, the underground cable that snapped was not technically suitable for passenger transport and had been installed without prior testing or certification. The report states that Carris, Lisbon’s public transport company, acquired the cable in 2022 without proper engineering supervision.

Investigators also found that the emergency brake, which the driver correctly tried to engage, did not function properly and had never been tested in advance. The report further questioned the maintenance and supervision performed by an outsourced company that had apparently given the 140-year-old funicular an all-clear on the morning of the tragedy.

While the bureau stressed that its findings are incomplete and no legal responsibility should yet be presumed, officials have responded. Lisbon’s Mayor Carlos Moedas asserted that the report confirms the incident was due to technical and not political causes.

Carris noted in a statement that the cable was acquired under a previous board and had been in use for 601 days without incident, suggesting other factors may have contributed.The full investigation is expected to take approximately 11 months to conclude.

Meanwhile, all of Lisbon’s funiculars have been taken out of service until comprehensive safety checks can be completed.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar