Lisbon's Historic Tram Suffers Derailment, Leaving 17 Dead Amongst the Victims, With Several Foreign Nationals Included - Tram disaster in Lisbon claims 17 lives, including non-Portuguese nationals
In the heart of Portugal's capital city, Lisbon, a tragic incident unfolded on Monday. The historic funicular "Elevador da Gloria," a popular tourist attraction and local transport staple, derailed, causing a devastating accident.
The derailment marked the first such occurrence for this particular funicular since it opened in 1885, connecting the central Praça dos Restauradores with the higher neighborhood of Bairro Alto.
The incident left 17 people dead, and 23 others injured. Reports suggest that several passengers jumped out of the windows of the second funicular during the accident.
The Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, deeply regretted the accident and called for the incident to be "quickly clarified by the competent authorities." The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her condolences to the families of the victims.
In response, the Portuguese government has declared a national day of mourning for Thursday. The Lisbon city administration suspended the operation of all three funiculars and ordered immediate inspections.
The cause of the derailment remains unknown, with speculation about a ripped cable or failed brakes. The Portuguese criminal police have launched an investigation into the accident.
Among the dead are foreign nationals, but their nationalities have not yet been disclosed. However, it has been confirmed that a German national was among the victims. A German family father lost his life, with his wife critically injured and their three-year-old child lightly injured. The German Foreign Office has not yet confirmed German fatalities but has expressed condolences and offered support to the Portuguese authorities.
The operator, Lisbon's public transport company Carris, rejected suggestions that the maintenance of the tram may not have been adequate. The Institute of Legal Medicine aims to complete the autopsies by the morning, which may provide more information about the victims' identities.
More information about the victims' identities may be available on Thursday. In the meantime, the city of Lisbon mourns, and the world offers its condolences to the affected families and the city.
