Lisbon Funicular Crash: Cable Disconnection Preceded Fatal Accident, Investigation Reveals
A cable connecting two cars of a Lisbon funicular disconnected shortly before Wednesday’s crash that claimed 16 lives, according to a report released by Portugal’s air and rail accident investigations bureau (GPIAAF). The disconnection occurred despite a visual inspection of the cable and braking systems earlier that same day, which found no apparent issues.Investigators noted that the section of cable that ultimately separated from the vehicle prior to the accident was not visually inspected during the routine maintenance check. The funicular was traveling at approximately 60km/h (37mph) when it crashed, with the entire incident unfolding in just 50 seconds.
The GPIAAF report confirms that eleven of the sixteen fatalities were foreign nationals, including three British citizens, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one Frenchwoman, one Swiss national, one American, and one Ukrainian. Approximately 20 people were injured, with at least eleven identified as foreign nationals. Among the Portuguese victims were four employees of a local social care institution.Two autonomous investigations are currently underway: one led by the GPIAAF and another by the public prosecutor’s office. The GPIAAF has stated it will release a preliminary report within 45 days.
The crash has prompted scrutiny of maintenance procedures overseen by Lisbon’s public transport operator, Carris. Carris’s head, Pedro Bogas, has maintained that maintenance protocols were “scrupulously followed,” and reports from daily inspections conducted on the morning of the accident indicated the system was functioning normally.
Usage of Lisbon’s three Carris-operated funiculars has increased significantly in recent years, rising 53% between 2022 and 2024 to reach 1.5 million passengers in 2024.
