FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
An investigative report into the fatal Gloria funicular accident in Lisbon has confirmed that the cause was a rupture in the connecting cable between two cabins.
The iconic vehicle, a national monument dating back to 1914 and a favorite among tourists, had only moved six meters when it "suddenly lost the balancing force of its connecting cable," the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Air and Rail Accidents said.
According to the report, the protective system immediately activated the pneumatic and manual brakes, but the measures “had no effect in reducing the speed.” The cabin accelerated to 60 km/h and crashed in less than 50 seconds.
Investigators said the equipment was up to date with maintenance. A visual inspection was conducted that morning, but the area where the rupture occurred cannot be seen without dismantling the mechanism.
At around 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, cabin no. 2 at the bottom of the funicular “suddenly pulled back,” stopping after 10 meters when it partially derailed.
Cabin No. 1, at the top, continued its rapid descent, derailed, and crashed sideways into the wall of a building, destroying the wooden structure.
It then hit a cast-iron lighting pole and a utility pole, causing severe damage, before crashing into the corner of another building.
Analysis of the wreckage showed that the cable broke at the point where it connected to the upper mechanism of cabin no. 1. The specified service life of the cable was 600 days, while at the time of the accident it had only been in use for 337 days. The operating company considered this period to be a “considerable safety margin”.
The tragedy killed 16 people, including three British citizens. British media have identified two of them: Kayleigh Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44. The third British victim has not yet been made public.
The Gloria Funicular connects Restauradores Square in central Lisbon with the historic Bairro Alto neighborhood, a route of only 276 meters, covered in less than a minute, but which crosses a very steep hill.
Lini një Përgjigje