Lisbon investigators said a cable connecting the two carriages of the city’s historic Glória funicular snapped, precipitating a derailment that left 16 people dead and 21 injured.
The Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations said Saturday that the two cabins had moved only about 6 meters (20 feet) when the connecting cable “gave way,” removing the balancing force that keeps the paired cars at opposite ends of the line in equilibrium. The upper cabin then accelerated down the steep downtown slope, derailed and crashed into a building. Rescue workers extracted casualties at the scene; several of the injured were described as being in critical condition.
Investigators said the brakeman on the upper cabin attempted to stop the car by applying the pneumatic brake and a hand brake, but those measures “had no effect in stopping or reducing the cabin’s speed, and it continued accelerating down the slope.” Authorities examining the site reported that, aside from the failed connecting cable, the remaining mechanisms of the 140-year-old railway were functioning.
The derailment occurred on Wednesday evening during what Portuguese authorities described as a busy period for the Elevador da Glória, which links Lisbon’s lower Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto neighborhood. The funicular, in service since 1885 and classified as a national monument, is both a regular commuter link and a popular tourist attraction.
Sixteen people died in the crash, and authorities said the victims included five Portuguese, three Britons, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one American, one Ukrainian, one Swiss and one French national. Initial government reports briefly listed 17 fatalities before revising the total to 16. Among those killed was André Jorge Gonçalves Marques, who served as a brake guard on the funicular, the transport union Sitra and operator Carris said. Families and organizations have issued tributes to several of the victims, including a British couple identified by relatives as Kayleigh Smith and Will Nelson.
The Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations released its preliminary findings after on-site analysis of the wreckage. Police have opened a separate inquiry; the chief police investigator said a preliminary police report is expected within 45 days. Portugal’s attorney-general’s office said earlier that identification of victims was ongoing and that recovered documents indicated the possible nationalities of additional deceased passengers.
Portuguese leaders expressed sorrow and promised full transparency as inquiries proceed. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called the derailment “one of the biggest tragedies of our recent past,” and President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa pledged that the government would ensure openness in the investigation. Emergency medical services, civil protection and security forces coordinated the response at hospitals and the crash site, authorities said.
The Glória line operates with two linked, counterbalanced cabins that run on a short but steep track. Safety systems on such funiculars typically rely on the mechanical connection between the cars, braking systems on each cabin and routine maintenance of cables and track. Investigators have not attributed blame in the preliminary report, focusing on describing the mechanics of the failure and the immediate sequence of events that followed.
Multiple agencies, including national transport safety investigators and police, continue to examine maintenance records, material conditions and the broader operational history of the funicular. Authorities urged caution in drawing conclusions until those probes are complete and said families of the victims would be kept informed.
Hospitals treated the wounded, and several remained under care for severe injuries in the days after the accident. Municipal and transport authorities said support services were being provided to relatives, and unions and civic groups offered condolences and assistance to those affected.
The Glória funicular has long been an emblem of Lisbon and a practical route up one of the city’s steepest hills. As investigations continue, officials said they would detail further technical findings and next steps, including any safety recommendations or directives that emerge from the ongoing inquiries.