Lisbon has been left reeling after the derailment of the historic Gloria funicular, one of the capital’s landmark tourist attractions, killed 15 people on Wednesday evening.
Emergency services confirmed that 18 others were taken to hospital, five of them in critical condition. Authorities said foreign nationals were among the dead, though their identities have not yet been confirmed.
The accident occurred at around 18:05 near Avenida da Liberdade. Witnesses reported that the funicular’s brakes appeared to have failed, causing the carriage to speed uncontrollably down the steep incline before crashing into a building. Footage shared on social media showed the bright yellow carriage overturned and mangled, with smoke billowing as bystanders fled the scene. Several passengers had to be rescued from the wreckage.
Lisbon’s mayor, Carlos Moedas, visited survivors in hospital late Wednesday, describing it as “a tragic moment for the city.” The Portuguese government has declared a day of national mourning, while President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered his “sympathy and solidarity with the families affected by this tragedy.”
Multiple investigations are now underway—by the operator Carris, the national transport safety authority, and the criminal police. Carris said in a statement that the funicular had undergone mandatory four-yearly and biennial inspections, along with regular daily, weekly, and monthly checks.
Despite these assurances, eyewitnesses recounted scenes of chaos. “The vehicle was out of control, without brakes,” one passenger told Observador. Another described to SIC television how the carriage “hit a building with brutal force and collapsed like a cardboard box.”
Authorities said it is still too early to confirm the precise cause of the disaster.
