Funicular Crash in Lisbon Raises Questions on Safety and Maintenance

The investigation into the funicular crash in Lisbon, which killed 16 people, has focused on a possible failure of the cable that connected the two cars, raising questions on safety and maintenance. The crash occurred on Wednesday, when one car of the Elevador da Glória funicular, a popular landmark in the city, barrelled uncontrolled down a steep slope. The system had passed inspection just hours before the crash. "Everything points to a break in the mooring cable of the funicular," said Mário Vaz, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Porto. The investigation is ongoing, and officials have not yet commented on the cause of the crash.

Key Takeaways:

• The investigation into the crash is focusing on a possible failure of the cable that connected the two cars, which could have caused one car to become untethered and crash.
• The system had passed inspection just hours before the crash, but the level of detail in the inspection and what was missed is not clear.
• Many questions remain unanswered, including why emergency brakes did not stop the car's rapid descent.
• The funicular, which operated in various forms since 1885, had a contract with Mntc, a private Portuguese engineering company, for maintenance since 2019.
• The two cars of the funicular act as counterweights to each other, linked by a cable that runs through a pulley at the top of the hill.
• Witnesses described the uphill car stopping near the base and falling back, while the downhill car went into a free fall and crashed.
• The victims included one American, five Portuguese, two South Koreans, one Swiss, three Britons, two Canadians, one Ukrainian, and one French person.
• Medical examiners completed the autopsies of the victims on Thursday, but the authorities have not released their identities.
• The corrected list of victims' nationalities, as disclosed by the judicial police on Friday, includes an American, five Portuguese, two South Koreans, one Swiss, three Britons, two Canadians, one Ukrainian, and one French person.
• The crash led to an outpouring of condolences and a tribute ceremony at São Domingos church in Lisbon.

Statistics:

• 16 people killed in the crash.
• 1 American, 5 Portuguese, 2 South Koreans, 1 Swiss, 3 Britons, 2 Canadians, 1 Ukrainian, and 1 French person among the victims.
• The funicular had been in operation since 1885.
• 2019: Mntc, a private Portuguese engineering company, took over the contract for maintenance of the funicular from Carris.
• 2018: A similar incident occurred when the funicular derailed without causing injuries, as the cable held and prevented an uncontrolled descent.

Sources:

• "Lisbon funicular crash raises questions on safety and maintenance" by - The New York Times (no date)
• "Funicular crash in Lisbon kills 16, investigation focuses on cable failure" by Reuters (no date)
• "Portugal's judicial police disclose nationalities of funicular crash victims" by Portuguese Publico (no date)
• "Quebec minister identifies 2 Canadian victims in funicular crash in Portugal" by Mathieu Lacombe (no date)
• "Santa Casa da Misericórdia: 4 staff members among victims" by Santa Casa da Misericórdia (no date)