Three Britons were among the 16 people killed when a funicular streetcar derailed in Lisbon on Wednesday evening, Portuguese police have confirmed. The accident on the Elevador da Glória also left 21 people injured, five of them seriously, in what Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called “one of the biggest tragedies in our recent history”.
Police said the dead included five Portuguese, three Britons, two South Koreans, two Canadians, and one each from the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland and France. A German citizen initially thought to have died was later located alive in hospital; at least three German nationals were among the injured. Injured individuals also came from Spain, Israel, Brazil, Italy and France.
Investigators have found no evidence of sabotage, leaving mechanical failure or maintenance issues as possible causes. A preliminary report from the government’s rail accident investigation office is due on Friday, while a broader police report is expected within 45 days.
Manuel Leal of the Fectrans union told local media that workers had raised concerns about cable tension problems affecting braking. However, Carris, the municipal operator, insisted all maintenance protocols had been followed, including monthly, weekly and daily inspections. The company’s president, Pedro de Brito Bogas, said the streetcar, in service since 1914, underwent a full overhaul last year and a visual inspection nine hours before the crash.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths and offered solidarity with Portugal. At a solemn mass in Lisbon on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Montenegro promised a swift investigation to determine responsibility, while Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas said the city needed answers.
