"Portuguese police have confirmed that three Britons were among the 16 people killed in Lisbon on Wednesday evening when one of the city's famous funicular streetcars derailed and hurtled down a hill and into a building. The accident, described by Portugal's prime minister, Luis Montenegro, as one of the biggest tragedies in our recent history, left 21 people injured, five of whom are in a serious condition."
"In a statement on Friday morning, police said the accident had killed five Portuguese citizens, three Britons, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one American, one Ukrainian, one Swiss citizen and one French person. Police also said a German man thought to have died in the crash had later been found alive in a Lisbon hospital. The injured include Spanish, Israeli, Portuguese, Brazilian, Italian and French citizens, according to the executive director of Portugal's national health service, Alvaro Santos Almeida."
"Investigators have not found any evidence of sabotage, leaving mechanical failures or maintenance issues among the possible causes. The Gloria line carries about 3 million people, tourists and residents, annually. Its two cars, each capable of carrying about 40 people, are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, with traction provided by electric motors on the cars."
A funicular streetcar derailed in Lisbon, killing 16 people and injuring 21, five seriously. Victims included citizens from Portugal, Britain, South Korea, Canada, the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland, France and others; a German man initially thought dead was found alive in hospital. The wreckage of the Elevador da Gloria was removed for police examination as a day of national mourning ended. A preliminary government report is due Friday, and a broader preliminary police report is expected within 45 days. Investigators have found no evidence of sabotage, leaving mechanical failure or maintenance problems under scrutiny. Workers had complained that cable-tension problems made braking difficult.
#lisbon-funicular-accident #elevador-da-gloria #casualties-and-injuries #mechanical-failure-investigation
Read at www.theguardian.com
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