At least 15 people have been killed and 18 others injured after Lisbon’s iconic Gloria funicular derailed on Monday evening, authorities confirmed. Five of the injured are in critical condition.
The crash occurred around 6pm during the evening rush hour. Footage from the scene showed the yellow and white funicular, a national monument and one of Lisbon’s best-known landmarks completely crumpled, with emergency workers pulling passengers from the wreckage.
Officials said the victims included foreign nationals but did not provide further details.
The Gloria funicular, which connects downtown Lisbon with Bairro Alto, carries more than 40 passengers per trip and is widely used by both residents and tourists. Two parallel carriages are connected by a haulage cable. While the second carriage did not derail, it jolted violently during the accident, forcing some passengers to jump from its windows.
Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas described the disaster as unprecedented: “Lisbon is in mourning. It is a tragedy that has never happened in our city. The moment is for action and help. The only thing I can say is that it is a very tragic day.”
Portugal’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered condolences to the families of the victims, while European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also expressed her sympathy, writing on X: “It is with sadness that I learned of the derailment of the famous ‘Elevador da Glória’. My condolences to the families of the victims.”
Authorities have not confirmed the cause of the derailment, and investigations are underway.