Historic Lisbon Funicular Overturns, Causing Fatalities and Prompting City-Wide Safety Review
Lisbon's historic Elevador da Gloria funicular tragically overturned, resulting in three confirmed fatalities and numerous injuries. This prompted national mourning and city-wide safety inspections.
16 die in Portuguese capital as historic tram crashes
World News Group
Lisbon Funicular Crash Kills 17: What to Know
TIME Magazine
Subscribe to unlock this story
We really don't like cutting you off, but you've reached your monthly limit. At just $5/month, subscriptions are how we keep this project going. Start your free 7-day trial today!
Get StartedHave an account? Sign in
Overview
- Lisbon's historic Elevador da Gloria funicular tragically overturned and was almost entirely destroyed in a devastating accident in Portugal.
- The incident resulted in three confirmed fatalities and numerous injuries, including foreign nationals, prompting a significant emergency response.
- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed profound condolences, and Lisbon's mayor declared three days of mourning for the victims.
- Investigations are underway to determine the precise cause of the funicular accident, with early reports suggesting a loose cable may have contributed.
- Following the crash, Lisbon's City Council halted operations of three other famous funicular streetcars for immediate safety inspections across the city.
Report issue
Read both sides in 5 minutes each day
Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the Lisbon streetcar tragedy with a focus on factual reporting and official statements. They provide comprehensive details on the death toll, injuries, and ongoing investigations, while also including diverse perspectives from officials, witnesses, and a transport union. The coverage maintains a neutral tone, avoiding loaded language or selective emphasis to present a balanced account of the incident.
"The distinctive yellow-and-white Elevador da Gloria, which is classified as a national monument, was packed with locals and international tourists Wednesday evening when it came off its rails."
ABC News"The streetcar’s wreckage was removed from the scene overnight and placed in police custody."
Associated Press"It's a tragic day for our city."
USA TODAY"Portugal is in mourning after at least 17 people died and some 20 more were injured when Lisbon's famous funicular cable railway derailed on Wednesday evening."
BBC News"The death toll rose to 17 after a popular funicular railway derailed in Lisbon."
NBC News"Flags flew at half-staff in Lisbon on Thursday after at least 17 people were killed and 21 injured in a crash of a hillside funicular railway popular with tourists, while Portuguese authorities began investigating the cause of the accident."
USA TODAY"Portugal observed a national day of mourning Thursday after the capital's worst disaster in recent history."
NPR"The crash occurred at the start of the evening rush hour, around 6 p.m. local time."
Associated Press"The crash took place on a popular streetcar line called the Elevador da Glória, a landmark located in central Lisbon and often visited by tourists."
CBS News"The crash occurred at around 18:05 on Wednesday, near Lisbon's Avenida da Liberdade, according to local authorities."
BBC News"The derailment of a popular streetcar Wednesday in Lisbon killed 15 people and injured 18 others, emergency services said, in what officials are calling one of the city’s worst tragedies in recent memory."
Associated Press"At least 15 people are dead and another 18 injured after a streetcar derailed in Portugal's capital on Wednesday, officials said."
ABC News"At least 15 people were killed and more than a dozen were injured in a crash of the popular funicular railway in Lisbon on Wednesday, according to local authorities."
NBC News"At least three people have been killed and 20 others injured after Lisbon's famous Gloria funicular cable railway derailed and crashed, emergency services said."
BBC News"An electric streetcar that is one of Lisbon’s landmarks and a big draw for tourists derailed Wednesday, killing and injuring an unspecified number of people, the Portuguese president’s office said."
Associated PressArticles (29)
Center (15)
FAQ
Preliminary investigations suggest that the derailment and crash were caused by a loose cable which made the funicular uncontrollable, leading it to speed downhill and crash into a building near the bottom of the line.
The accident resulted in 16 confirmed fatalities, including foreign nationals such as an American citizen, and at least 21 others were injured, with some in critical condition.
Lisbon city officials declared three days of mourning, and the City Council suspended operations of three other historic funiculars to conduct immediate safety inspections across the city.
Yes, the victims included foreign nationals, notably an American citizen confirmed by the U.S. State Department among those who died in the derailment.
The Elevador da Gloria is a historic funicular tram that has operated for over a century, transporting passengers up and down a steep hill in central Lisbon between Restauradores Square and the Bairro Alto neighborhood. It is a national monument and popular among tourists.
History
- 12d3 articles
- 13d9 articles
- 13d11 articles
- 13d3 articles