Portugal: At least 15 dead in Lisbon funicular accident

Emergency services in the Portuguese capital Lisbon said that at least 15 people were killed and 18 injured one Wednesday when one of the city's iconic yellow Gloria railway cars derailed.

In a statement, the National Institute for Medical Emergencies said that five of the injured were in serious condition, including a child, and that some were foreigners.

According to emergency services, all of the victims have been recovered from the wreckage.

What do we know about the accident?

The famous funicular, which travels up and down a steep street in central Lisbon, is used by locals and tourists alike.

According to eye-witnesses, the railway car hurtled down the hill, apparently out of control, before crashing.

"It hit the building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box," resident Teresa d'Avo told Portuguese TV channel SIC.

Video and images from the scene showed that the train tipped over and severely damaged, with its sides and roof partially crumpled. It appeared to have crashed into a building where the road bends.

Several dozen emergency workers attended the scene but most were stood down after about two hours.

The Portuguese government said that an investigation into the causes will begin once the rescue operation is over.

Politicians offer condolences

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas called the accident an "unprecedented tragedy" and said that the city was in mourning. The Portuguese government said that a nationwide day of mourning would be held on Thursday. 

Portugese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered his condolences to the affected families.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered her condolences. "It is with sadness that I learned of the derailment of the famous 'Elevador da Gloria,'" she wrote in Portuguese on X.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X that he was "appalled by the terrible accident," while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he had met with his Portuguese counterpart and expressed his "solidarity with the victims."

What is the Gloria funicular?

The Gloria funicular, which opened in 1885, connects an area of downtown Lisbon near Restauradores Square to the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), which is famous for its vibrant nightlife.

The two cars, which can each carry around 40 people, are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, and electric motors on the cars provide the traction.

The Gloria line is one of three funicular lines operated by the municipal public transportation company, Carris, and is used by tourists and local residents alike.

According to the town hall, the Gloria line transports around 3 million people annually.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery