At least 15 people killed after Lisbon’s funicular railway derails

An emergency medical service spokesperson has confirmed that at least 15 people have been killed after Lisbon’s Gloria funicular railway car derailed and crashed. Authorities have not identified the victims or disclosed their nationalities, but stated that some foreign nationals were among the dead. Additionally, at least 18 people were injured in the incident.

Carlos Moedas, the mayor of Lisbon, expressed deep sorrow, saying, "It’s a tragic day for our city ... Lisbon is in mourning, it is a tragic, tragic incident."

The Gloria Funicular tram, Lisbon. Photograph: Eye Ubiquitous/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Footage from the site showed the tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a hillside in the Portuguese capital, destroyed, with emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.

In a statement, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented the accident and expressed hope that authorities would soon establish the cause of the crash.

The line, which opened in 1885, connects Lisbon’s downtown area near Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), known for its vibrant nightlife. It is operated by the municipal public transport company Carris. The two cars are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, with traction provided by electric motors on the cars.

The car at the bottom of the line was apparently undamaged, but CNN Portugal reported that passengers had to jump out of its windows when the incident occurred.