Portugal crash claims 17 lives

Portugal observed a national day of mourning on Thursday after the death toll from the derailment of one of Lisbon’s iconic funiculars rose to 17, with 21 others injured.

The crash happened on Wednesday evening at one of the capital’s busiest tourist spots, when the yellow Gloria funicular veered off its steep track near Liberty Avenue and slammed into a building.

Emergency services confirmed that 11 foreigners were among the injured, including citizens of Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, South Korea, Morocco, and Cape Verde.

Fifteen victims — eight men and seven women — died instantly, while two more succumbed to injuries later. Authorities have not yet released their identities.

Lisbon suspended its three other funiculars pending safety checks, according to civil protection spokeswoman Margarida Castro.

Germany’s foreign ministry said its embassy in Lisbon was working with local authorities to identify victims and warned that German nationals were likely among them. Reports indicated that a German man died, while his wife was critically injured and their three-year-old child suffered minor wounds.

Footage showed rescuers working overnight around the wreckage, which lay on its side against a wall. Witnesses described the impact as “brutal”, with one woman saying the carriage collapsed “like a cardboard box”.

Mayor Carlos Moedas called it “a tragedy our city has never seen”, while Prime Minister Luis Montenegro’s office said it brought “grief to families and dismay to the country”. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also offered condolences.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation. Lisbon Carris, the city’s public transport operator, insisted it had respected all maintenance protocols. The funicular last underwent major servicing in 2022, with intermediate checks completed in 2024.

The Gloria funicular, which has carried passengers up Lisbon’s steep hills since 1885, has long been a familiar symbol of the city’s heritage.