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Portugal declares national day of mourning to remember people killed in cable car crash
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At least 15 people have died after Lisbon‘s Gloria funicular railway derailed and crashed into a building, also leaving around 18 people injured, authorities said.
Footage on Wednesday evening showed the tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a hillside in the Portuguese capital, practically destroyed and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.
Authorities would not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but said some foreign nationals were among the dead.
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa reacted to the tragic incident in a statement, expressing hope that authorities would soon establish what caused the crash, which happened on Wednesday at around 6pm.
Initial reports suggest the cable for the funicular came loose.
The system’s two cars, each capable of carrying around 40 people, run parallel to each other as they shuttle up and down the hill on a curved, traffic-free road. They are harnessed by steel cables.
The railway, which opened in 1885, is operated by the municipal public transport company Carris. On Wednesday night, it said “all maintenance protocols had been carried out”, including monthly and weekly maintenance programs and daily inspections.
A picturesque electric streetcar that is one of Lisbon’s big tourist attractions derailed and crashed yesterday, killing 15 people and injuring 18 others, emergency services said.
Footage shows the tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a hillside in the Portuguese capital, destroyed and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.
The streetcar, technically called a funicular, is harnessed by steel cables and can carry more than 40 people, seated and standing. It is also commonly used by Lisbon residents.
The service up and down a of a hill on a curved, traffic-free road in tandem with one going the opposite way was inaugurated in 1885. The line connects Lisbon’s downtown area near the Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), famous for its vibrant nightlife.
It is one of three funicular lines operated by the municipal public transport company Carris and is used by tourists as well as local residents.
Carris said in a statement that “all maintenance protocols have been carried out”, including monthly and weekly maintenance programs and daily inspections.
Footage from yesterday showed that the hillside funicular in Lisbon was destroyed. Emergency workers were pulling people from the wreckage.
Officials reported that some of the deceased were foreign nationals but did not reveal their identities or nationalities.
More here.
A South Korean tourist was among the 18 injured who were rushed to the hospital for treatment after a picturesque electric streetcar that is one of Lisbon’s big tourist attractions derailed and crashed.
At least 15 people died in the incident that happened after 6pm local time on Wednesday. Five of those injured are in a critical state, according to The Portugal Resident.
A three-year-old child and his pregnant mother were also under treatment after suffering wounds in the crash.
The Ukrainian president has offered his condolences following the Gloria funicular crash in Lisbon, which killed at least 15 people.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic accident with Glória elevator in Lisbon, which caused dozens of fatalities and left more than 25 people injured,” Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X.
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I extend heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, to President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.
Passengers on Lisbon’s Gloria funicular railway “started screaming with fear” before a car derailed and crashed, horrified witnesses have said.
At least 15 people have died and around 18 people were injured when the car came off its tracks at about 6pm.
Footage shows the tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a hillside in the Portuguese capital, destroyed and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.
Rebecca Whittaker has more.
Portugal will observe a national mourning today after a funicular train derailed in Lisbon, killing at least 15 people in one of the capital’s most popular tourist spots.
“A tragic accident … caused the irreparable loss of human life, which left in mourning their families and dismayed the whole country,” the federal government said in a statement.
Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas called the incident “a tragedy that our city has never seen”.
Lisbon’s City Council has suspended operations of other streetcars in the city and ordered immediate inspections after a famed streetcar derailed and crashed, killing 15 people.
The yellow-and-white streetcar, known as Elevador da Gloria, which goes up and down a steep downtown hill, was lying on its side on the narrow road that it travels on, its sides and top crumpled.
It appeared to have crashed into a building where the road bends, leaving parts of the mostly metal vehicle crushed.
The electric streetcar is one of Lisbon’s big tourist attractions – it can carry about 40 passengers up through the narrow steep streets.
But it’s not yet known how many people were onboard at the time of the collision.
Portugal’s emergency medical service authority said at least 15 people have been been killed and 18 others injured.
However, it’s not clear if those injured were passengers or pedestrians.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X that he was “appalled by the terrible accident” and offered his solidarity with the families of the victims.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known. It reportedly occurred at the start of the evening during rush hour, around 6pm.
Emergency officials said all victims were pulled out of the wreckage in just over two hours.
An investigation into the causes will begin once the rescue operation is over, the government said.
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