A preliminary report into last month's funicular crash in Lisbon that killed 16 people including three British nationals has detailed a litany of failings.
Portugal's Air and Rail Accident Investigations Bureau stated that the underground cable, which acted as a counterweight between two carriages, was defective and had never been certified for passenger transport.
The cable, not technically suitable, was acquired in 2022 by Carris, the company managing Lisbon's public transport.
The 140-year-old Glória funicular, a popular attraction for tourists, derailed and crashed into a building on September 3.
A total of 11 foreigners were among those killed, including the three British nationals, and another 20 individuals were injured.
The preliminary report released on Monday indicated a lack of oversight by engineers at Carris and highlighted that the cable was not tested before installation.
Maintenance of the funicular by an outsourced company was also criticized for supposedly giving the Glória funicular the all-clear on the morning of the disaster, despite uncertainties regarding whether the check actually occurred that day.
Furthermore, it was noted that the state body responsible for monitoring Lisbon's funiculars failed to oversee the Glória, as required.
The emergency brake system, activated by the driver during the cable failure, malfunctioned and had never undergone testing in advance.
Lisbon's mayor, Carlos Moedas, who faced accusations of insufficient oversight amidst the tragedy, proclaimed that the report confirmed the causes were technical rather than political.
Carris admitted that they could not definitively conclude whether the cable's non-compliance contributed to the incident, referencing that the same cables had been operational for 601 days without incident beforehand.
The full investigation report is expected to take about 11 months to finalize. Until then, all cable cars in Lisbon have been suspended for safety checks.
