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In the aftermath of the tragic funicular crash that occurred in Lisbon on Wednesday, Portuguese authorities have revealed that a cable along the railway route had snapped, leading to the catastrophic incident. The national transport safety office stated that upon examining the wreckage, it was evident that the cable connecting the two carriages had failed, despite the rest of the mechanism reportedly functioning properly. Despite efforts by the brakeman to activate emergency brakes, the upper carriage of the iconic yellow Glória funicular railway still derailed and crashed into a building, resulting in the deaths of sixteen individuals and injuring around 20 others.
Among the victims of the crash, there were Portuguese nationals as well as individuals from various other countries including Britons, South Koreans, Canadians, Americans, Ukrainians, Swiss, and a French national. The Glória funicular, which has been in operation for 140 years, is a vital mode of transportation for Lisbon’s residents and a popular tourist attraction due to its function in navigating the city’s steep slopes. The investigators noted that despite attempts to activate pneumatic and manual brakes when the cable failed, it remains uncertain if an automatic brake engaged as intended, with the carriage reportedly travelling at approximately 60km/h (37mph) upon impact with the building.
Additionally, the authorities disclosed that the cable that failed was only 337 days into its projected 600-day operational lifespan. The full extent of the tragedy is yet to be determined, as it is unclear how many passengers were inside the carriage, capable of carrying up to 40 individuals, versus those on the street below during the crash. While six individuals remain in intensive care due to their injuries, three others sustained minor injuries. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro of Portugal has described the incident as “one of the biggest tragedies of our recent past,” signaling the gravity of the situation as investigations continue to uncover the cause of the devastating funicular crash in Lisbon
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