7 Jun 2016

Rio airport train breaks down on first day

11:56 am on 7 June 2016

A tram built as part of a drive to improve infrastructure in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the forthcoming Olympic Games has broken down on its first full day in operation.

One of the trains on the light rail system, which connects Rio's Santos Dumont airport to downtown, lost power and came to a halt.

Passengers were forced to continue their journey on foot.

The local council said the service was re-established within 20 minutes, without further interruptions.

In April, two people died when a bike lane fell into the ocean.

There have also been concerns about water quality on waterways to be used for the sailing and rowing events, and the spread of the Zika virus.