Lisbon — Two days after Portugal’s worst-ever electrical streetcar crash killed 16 folks and left greater than 20 others from throughout the globe injured, forensics groups in Lisbon mentioned Friday that that they had recognized almost all the victims, lots of whom had been crushed to loss of life when the famed Elevador da Gloria funicular hurtled uncontrolled down a steep hill, derailed and careened right into a constructing.
Whereas names haven’t but been disclosed, Portugal’s attorney-general mentioned Friday morning that the loss of life toll consists of two South Koreans, two Swiss nationals, one French nationwide and 5 Portuguese residents.
“Our staff in Lisbon and here in the United States are working tirelessly to provide consular assistance to the victim and their family. We extend our condolences to the victims and families of all those affected,” the official mentioned. “The Embassy is working closely with local authorities to assist U.S. citizens in the affected area, and continues to monitor the situation closely. Due to privacy considerations, we have no additional details at this time.”
Folks work on the website of the derailment and crash of the Gloria funicular railway automobile, a well-liked vacationer attraction, which resulted in a number of casualties, in Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 4, 2025. Wreckage of the higher carriage could be seen behind the still-intact decrease carriage within the foreground.
Pedro Nunes/REUTERS
At the least 21 different passengers had been injured, together with folks from Portugal, Spain, Israel, Brazil, Italy and France, in keeping with the top of Portugal’s Nationwide Well being Service.
Tens of millions of individuals trip Lisbon’s iconic yellow-and-white funicular vehicles every year. It’s a well-liked expertise for overseas vacationers, and the Elevador da Gloria, at nearly 140 years outdated, has lengthy been a giant attraction. In 2024, an estimated 29 million foreigners visited Portugal, many passing by the capital and its quiet, cobblestone streets and hills.
However the electrical avenue vehicles and hillside funiculars are additionally a part of on a regular basis life for a lot of locals.
A Portuguese charity based mostly on the hill close to the highest of the Elevador da Gloria funicular confirmed Friday that 4 of its staff had been killed within the accident. They had been believed to have been commuting from work.
“We have lost colleagues, friends and the people who we shared our daily lives as well as our mission”, the Santa Casa da Misericordia mentioned in an announcement. “We’re in a state of shock.”
A police officer walks previous the wrecked Elevador da Gloria funicular on the scene the place it derailed, Sept, 3, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Horacio Villalobos/Getty
Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas attended a Mass within the early night on Thursday close to the positioning of the crash. Talking to reporters exterior the church, Rebelo de Sousa mentioned: “This is a time of mourning. It’s the moment to mourn the dead… pray and think of the dead, and to support their friends and family.”
The president additionally known as for a clarification of the causes of the accident “as quickly as possible.”
After midnight on Friday, and with few onlookers, employees lifted the mangled wreckage of the Elevador da Gloria automobile that crashed.
As with most funiculars, two carriages linked by a metal cable function in tandem: One carriage climbs up the hill as the opposite trundles slowly down. Early Wednesday night, many individuals imagine that cable snapped, inflicting the tragedy.
Portuguese media confirmed officers inspecting the frayed ends of the cable that had related the vehicles, which that they had pulled up from underground, on Friday. In accordance with a hearth brigade official, the automobile coming down from the highest of the hill was not in a position to decelerate, entered a curve within the hill too quick, derailed, after which plowed into the cobblestone pavement and crashed.
Cable and brake failures are two of the commonest causes of streetcar accidents.
“It’s very strange… for this kind of cable. It’s not normal and it’s almost impossible to have [a] sudden rupture,” he mentioned.
Vacationers wait to board the Elevador da Gloria funicular, one of many funiculars operated by Carris in Lisbon, Portugal, in a Might 24, 2024 file photograph.
Horacio Villalobos/Corbis/through Getty
Santos mentioned if the cable did snap abruptly, neither the guide nor automated brakes on the funicular would have been adequate to carry again the streetcars, which, when loaded with passengers weigh round 20 tons every.
Carris, the corporate that operates the Elevador da Gloria, has mentioned common inspections — together with every day checks — had been carried out as required.
Portugal’s Air and Rail Accident Investigation Unit was anticipated to launch a preliminary report on the technical explanation for the funicular crash later Friday. In 45 days, Portugal’s nationwide police will then problem their report on any potential criminality concerned within the crash.
The mayor mentioned Lisbon and its three million residents would observe three days of mourning following the catastrophe.
Extra from CBS Information
