Cable that broke in Lisbon rail crash was uncertified, report shows

FILE PHOTO: A drone view shows the site of the accident after Gloria Funicular railway car, a popular tourist attraction, derailed and crashed, resulting in multiple casualties, according to authorities, in Lisbon, Portugal, September 4, 2025. REUTERS TV/via REUTERS/File Photo

LISBON (Reuters) -The cable that snapped and caused a Lisbon funicular railcar to hurtle down a hill in September, killing 16 people, was not certified for use in passenger transport, according to a preliminary report that also pointed to maintenance flaws.

Portugal's Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations (GPIAAF) said in the report late on Monday it was still impossible to say whether the use of an inadequate cable had caused the crash, as other factors were also at play.