Lisbon inaugurated a memorial Thursday to the 16 people killed in a funicular derailment one year ago, an event that continues to cast a shadow over the city’s tourism and leave its famed hillside streetcars at a standstill.
Near the crash site, a 150-year-old olive tree surrounded by limestone blocks bearing the names of the victims was unveiled. Foreign ambassadors and a senior Catholic church official attended a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the accident, one of the Portuguese capital’s worst tragedies in recent memory.
The funicular, a popular tourist attraction that travels up and down a steep hill, was carrying passengers when it derailed. Authorities reported that 11 of the 16 victims were foreigners, highlighting the impact on Lisbon's significant tourism industry. Portugal hosts approximately 30 million visitors annually, with tourists forming a crucial part of the city's economy.
Service on the Gloria funicular, the site of the accident, remains halted as the official investigation continues. Two other city funiculars are also out of service pending inspections. Regular streetcars operating on the city’s streets are unaffected and continue to run.
The anniversary has refocused attention on the delayed process of identifying the crash's causes and assigning blame. The accident also injured 24 people.
Carris, the public transport company operating the funicular, has announced plans to issue an international tender in the first quarter of next year for the modernization of the affected funicular. The company aims for the service to resume by 2029.
Portugal's public prosecutor's office indicated it hopes to release a final report detailing the accident's causes and any potential criminal liability by March.
Families of the victims have expressed frustration, with a letter obtained by public broadcaster RTP detailing "a year of silence" from authorities. According to RTP, the families reported a lack of communication and being kept uninformed about the investigation's progress.
A preliminary report released last year suggested that the failure of a steel safety cable and maintenance issues contributed to the derailment. The streetcar reportedly lost control, veered off its tracks on a bend, and collided with a building, resulting in the severe damage of its wooden cabin.