The horror Lisbon funicular derailment that killed three Brits was caused when a cable snapped, a preliminary report on the shocking incident has found.
The early official report from Portuguese authorities has concluded that the funicular carriages “suddenly lost the balancing force” of a connecting cable before the crash.
At the time, the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents and Railway Accidents found, the iconic transport had travelled no further than six metres.
It adds that the imbalance quickly addressed by the brakeman who immediately activated both the pneumatic and manual brakes.
Unfortunately, the move had “no effect”, the report found, and the carriage accelerated to around 60kmph (around 30mph) before crashing and killing more than a dozen occupants.
Authorities have said 16 people were killed in the crash, three of whom have since been confirmed to be British tourists. Kayleigh Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44, were among the dead, as was a third Brit who is yet to be named.
This is a breaking news story. Follow us on Google News[1], Flipboard[2], Apple News[3], Twitter[4], Facebook[5] or visit The Mirror[6] homepage.
References
- ^ Google News (news.google.com)
- ^ Flipboard (flipboard.com)
- ^ Apple News (apple.news)
- ^ Twitter (twitter.com)
- ^ Facebook (facebook.com)
- ^ The Mirror (www.mirror.co.uk)