At least 15 people have been killed after the Gloria Funicular derailed in Lisbon on Wednesday evening. Officials have confirmed that foreign nationals are among the victims, though they have not yet said whether any British citizens were involved.
Around 18 people were injured in the crash, which occurred at approximately 6pm. Nine of those injured remain in serious condition in hospital according to emergency medical services.
Technical failure
The derailment happened when a cable came loose along the railway route, causing the historic train to lose control. The funicular car fell from a great height, leaving passengers trapped inside the derailed vehicle.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes with emergency services working to extract victims from the wreckage throughout Wednesday evening. The incident has been characterised as one of Lisbon's worst recent tragedies.
Historic attraction tragedy
The Gloria Funicular opened in 1885 and has been carrying passengers through Lisbon for 140 years. The iconic railway connects downtown Restauradores to the Príncipe Real area via the historic Bairro Alto district.
Thousands of tourists use the historic funicular daily to navigate the Portuguese capital's steep hills. The railway is one of three historic funiculars operating in the city and serves as a popular tourist attraction.
Emergency response
Portuguese authorities are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the derailment. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered his condolences and called the incident a tragic accident.
Emergency medical services provided regular updates on casualty figures as rescue operations continued. The death toll rose steadily from initial reports as emergency teams worked through the evening to reach all victims.
Sources used: "Mirror", "The i", "Independent", "Metro", "Daily Mail", "Evening Standard", "BBC", "Daily Record", "Liverpool Echo", "Sky News", "GBNews", "Observador" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
