Portugal has declared a national day of mourning after a funicular crash in Lisbon killed at least 17 people and injured 21 others on Wednesday evening.
The accident occurred when the Glória funicular, a popular historic tram connecting central Lisbon to Bairro Alto, derailed during the evening rush hour and crashed into a building. Civil protection officials confirmed that all of the dead were adults.
The injured included Portuguese citizens and tourists from Germany, Spain, Canada, France, Italy, Morocco, South Korea, Switzerland, and Cape Verde. Three victims remain in critical condition.
Witnesses described scenes of panic, saying the tram appeared to hurtle down the steep hill out of control before slamming into the walls and crumpling on impact. One passenger said it “fell apart like a cardboard box” after the collision. Emergency services worked through the night to recover bodies, while autopsies are being conducted by the National Forensics Institute. Two victims died in hospital overnight, raising the toll from 15 to 17.
Authorities have suspended Lisbon’s three other funiculars pending safety inspections and opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the derailment. The funicular, built in the late 19th century and a well-known tourist attraction, normally operates in tandem with another tram that counterbalances its weight on the hill.
Lisbon’s mayor Carlos Moedas, who visited the crash site, called the tragedy unprecedented for the city. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro expressed his condolences and announced Thursday as a day of mourning. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa urged patience as investigators work to determine what caused the disaster.
Floral tributes were laid at the crash site, as residents and tourists mourned the dead in one of Lisbon’s most iconic neighbourhoods.
