A report will be published today with the first conclusions on the causes of the derailment of the funicular "Gloria" in Lisbon, which killed 16 people and injured 21. The tragedy occurred on Wednesday evening, when there were many tourists and locals on the vehicle, reports the Associated Press, BTA reports.
The investigation is being led by several agencies, including the government's Transport Accident Investigation Bureau, which has already completed the analysis of the remains of the funicular. According to authorities, the vehicle was moving at high speed before crashing into a residential building. In parallel, a police report is expected, which should be ready by 45 days.
Among the dead are eight foreigners - two Canadians, two South Koreans, an American, a Swiss, a German and a Ukrainian. The nationality of three of the dead has not yet been established. The funicular driver, André Marques, is also among the victims. Among the injured are citizens of Spain, Israel, Brazil, Italy, France and Portugal.
Initially, 17 people were reported dead, but authorities corrected the figures, specifying that they were 16 people.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro described the incident as “one of the greatest tragedies in the country“. Yesterday, a mass was held in memory of the victims at the “Santo Domingo“ church, which was attended by the prime minister, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas.
So far, officials have not confirm the versions of a broken cable or brake failure. Mayor Moedas stressed that Lisbon residents need a clear answer about the causes, but warned that speculation is premature.
The company “Caris“, which manages the city's transport, is conducting its own investigation. It specified that the “Glória“ funicular underwent a full scheduled inspection last year and was visually inspected nine hours before the accident. Authorities have also temporarily stopped the other three funiculars - “Bica“, “Lavra“ and “Grassa“.
The “Glória“ funicular connects the “Restaurants“ square in the center of Lisbon with the popular Bairro Alto district. Last year, the Portuguese capital was visited by 8.5 million tourists, and the line is among the busiest tourist attractions.