Two women from Quebec who were travelling together in northern Portugal were struck and killed by a passenger train on September 13, Portuguese authorities and Canadian officials said.
Guylaine Boulanger, 62, and Élise Bénard, 66, both members of the deaf community in Quebec, were taking photographs near the Douro River by the Barqueiros station in Mesão Frio, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of Porto, when the train hit them, local media reported. Two other women who were travelling with them were not injured.
The train's conductor told the Portugal Resident that he sounded the horn and applied the brakes when he saw people on the tracks, but was unable to stop in time. A passenger on board described the aftermath as "terrible, indescribable, a tragedy," according to the Correio da Manhã newspaper.
Portuguese authorities have launched an investigation into the collision, the government said. Global Affairs Canada confirmed the deaths and said consular officials were in contact with local authorities and the families of those involved to provide assistance. The department said no further details would be released for privacy reasons.
Family members and members of Quebec’s deaf community posted condolences and remembered the women on social media. Bénard’s cousin, Serge Adam, told the Journal de Montréal that she was a "funny" and "great person" and said relatives were seeking to understand how the accident occurred. Local reporting noted that Boulanger had recently retired from a job as a mail carrier.
The collision is the latest transport-related tragedy involving Quebec citizens in Portugal this month. Early in September, a tram crash in Lisbon killed 17 people, including two passengers from Quebec, highlighting concerns about tourist safety and prompting local inquiries into both incidents.
Officials have not released details on the precise circumstances that led Boulanger and Bénard onto the tracks, including whether there were any warning signs or barriers at the photo site. Investigators typically examine train speed, sight lines, signalling, the conductor’s actions and witness statements when reconstructing rail incidents.
Portuguese authorities have not yet released a timeline for the investigation or a report on preliminary findings. Canadian consular officials have remained in contact with local authorities and the victims’ families as inquiries continue.
The deaths have resonated in Quebec’s deaf community and among acquaintances in the region where the women lived and worked. As investigations proceed, local and international officials said they would provide factual updates through official channels when available.