At least 16 people were killed and 21 others injured after a historic funicular in Lisbon derailed and crashed into a building on Wednesday evening. The incident has prompted urgent questions about the maintenance and safety of the city’s iconic transport system.
The Gloria Funicular, which connects Liberty Avenue to the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint, was carrying passengers when it veered off track. Emergency services worked through the night to rescue survivors from the wreckage.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has pledged a full investigation into the cause of the derailment. No evidence of criminal activity has been found so far, according to Lisbon’s judicial police director, João Oliveira.
Two separate investigations are now underway—one led by Portuguese judicial authorities, and another by the Office for Prevention and Investigation of Air and Rail Accidents (GPIAAF), which began collecting evidence on Thursday morning.
The 140-year-old funicular is one of Lisbon’s major tourist attractions and part of the city’s public transport network. Questions are now being raised about the aging infrastructure and maintenance standards of the system, which has been in operation since 1885.
This is the deadliest rail incident in Portugal in decades and has cast a shadow over one of Europe’s most picturesque cities.
