Major update on Lisbon funicular crash as report into incident that killed 3 Brits emerges

16 people died in the crash (Image: Getty)

A newly-released report into the Lisbon funicular crash has confirmed that the cable of the line snapped and the brakeman activated the brakes. The report by Portugal's Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents and Railway Accidents said the carriages had no travelled no further than six metres when they "suddenly lost the balancing force of the connecting cable".

Three Britons were among the 16 who died when the Glória funicular, a popular tourist attraction in the centre of the Portuguese capital, derailed and crashed into a building on Wednesday. British couple Kayleigh Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44, both died in the incident. A third British victim has yet to be named.

The report found the brakeman immediately activated the pneumatic brake and manual brake but it had "no effect in reducing the vehicle's speed", according to Sky News.

The funicular accelerated and crashed at around 37mph.

Local police said Portuguese, South Korean, Swiss, Canadian, Ukrainian, French and American nationals also died in the horror crash which the report said happened in 50 seconds.

Questions have been raised over the age and upkeep of the tram-like Glória funicular which was first opened in 1885.

The report found that on evidence thus far, all maintenance was up to date.

A scheduled visual inspection had been carried out in the morning of the crash which "detected no anomalies in the vehicles' cable or braking systems".

However, the area where the cable broke is "is not visible without dismantling".

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