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This deadly funicular accident in Portugal's capital that cost 16 lives in the start of the ninth month was caused by a damaged wire, as stated by the formal probe released on Monday.

The probe has urged that Portugal's capital's equivalent vehicles remain out of service until their safety can be fully assured.

Details of the Tragic Accident

This accident occurred when the old Glória funicular went off track and collided into a structure, horrifying the metropolis and sparking grave worries about the security of older landmarks.

Portugal's transport safety authority (the bureau) noted that a line linking two compartments had come loose moments before the tragedy on September 3rd.

Preliminary Findings

This preliminary document indicated that the wire failed to meet the mandatory specifications established by the city's public transport company.

This line was not in compliance with the specifications mandated to be employed for the Glória funicular.

The detailed document also urged that other inclined railways in the capital should stay suspended until inspectors can ensure they have sufficient stopping mechanisms designed of immobilising the cabins in the case of a wire failure.

Victims and Injuries

Among the 16 victims, eleven were non-Portuguese citizens, including 3 UK citizens, 2 Korean nationals, 2 citizens of Canada, a French national, one Swiss national, one US national, and a Ukrainian national.

The crash also hurt approximately twenty people, including three UK nationals.

Among the local victims included 4 employees from the same care facility, whose offices are located at the summit of the steep street serviced by the cable car.

Operational Details

This Glória funicular was inaugurated in 1885, using a system of counterweights to propel its 2 compartments along its long track up and down a precipitous incline.

As per the bureau, a standard inspection on the morning of the incident identified nothing unusual with the cable that later broke.

The investigators also reported that the driver had applied the funicular's stopping mechanism, but they were unable to stop the car without the function of the weight compensation system.

This complete crash unfolded in just less than a minute, per the probe.

Upcoming Steps

This bureau is scheduled to release a definitive document with safety suggestions within the next year, though an interim update may offer further information on the status of the probe.