LISBON, PORTUGAL—Portugal is observing a day of national mourning following a tragic funicular train derailment in Lisbon that claimed the lives of at least 15 people and injured 18 others. The accident, which occurred on one of the capital’s most popular tourist routes, involved the yellow Gloria funicular, a historic cable railway that navigates the city’s steep hills.
The incident unfolded when the funicular veered off its tracks near Liberty Avenue and crashed with brutal force into a building, according to a witness interviewed by the SIC television channel. Rescue personnel worked through the night to recover victims, who included foreign nationals. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s office released a statement expressing profound grief and dismay, while Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas called the event “a tragedy that our city has never seen.” European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and Irish Tánaiste Simon Harris also offered condolences and support.
Lisbon prosecutors have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. The city’s public transport operator, Carris, maintains that it had complied with all maintenance protocols, stating that general maintenance was last conducted in 2022 and intermediate maintenance in 2024. The funicular, which first began service in 1885 and was electrified in 1915, is a cherished city icon, used by both residents and tourists.
