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This deadly cable car accident in Lisbon that cost sixteen lives in early September was attributed to a defective cable, per the formal probe published on Monday.

The probe has urged that the city's similar cable cars be kept halted until their operational integrity can be fully confirmed.

Particulars of the Deadly Accident

This accident took place when the old Glória funicular derailed and collided into a building, shocking the metropolis and highlighting significant fears about the safety of older visitor sites.

The nation's transport safety authority (the investigative body) noted that a line joining two compartments had detached moments before the tragedy on 3 September.

Preliminary Conclusions

The preliminary analysis confirmed that the line was not up to the mandatory standards established by the local transit authority.

This line was not in compliance with the specifications mandated to be utilized for the Glória cable car.

This 35-page report also urged that all cable cars in the capital should be kept non-operational until inspectors can confirm they have effective brakes capable of stopping the cars in the scenario of a wire failure.

Casualties and Injuries

Of the 16 fatalities, eleven were international visitors, comprising three British nationals, two South Koreans, 2 Canadian nationals, a French national, a Swiss, one American, and a citizen of Ukraine.

This incident also injured around 20 individuals, including three UK nationals.

The Portuguese victims included four staff members from the same social care institution, whose offices are located at the top of the sharp alley serviced by the cable car.

Historical Information

The Glória funicular first opened in 1885, using a mechanism of weight compensation to drive its 2 wagons along its long track climbing and descending a precipitous hill.

According to investigators, a routine examination on the date of the incident found no issues with the cable that eventually broke.

This investigators also stated that the operator had engaged the cable car's stopping mechanism, but they were incapable to halt the vehicle without the function of the counterweight system.

The complete crash occurred in just under a minute, per the probe.

Next Actions

The bureau is anticipated to release a conclusive document with safety suggestions within the following twelve months, though an intermediary report may deliver further details on the development of the investigation.