Emergency services in Lisbon said that at least 15 people were killed and 18 injured on Wednesday in a Gloria funicular railway car derailment in the Portuguese capital.
In a statement, the National Institute for Medical Emergencies said that five of the injured are in serious condition, including a child.
The statement also said that some of the injured are foreigners, but the exact number is unknown.
According to emergency services, all of the victims have been recovered from the wreckage.
What do we know about the accident?
The funicular, which is used by locals and tourists alike, derailed on Wednesday evening for reasons that remain unclear, according to the media reports.
Images showed that the train had tipped over and was severely damaged. Its sides and top were partially crumpled. It appeared to have crashed into a building where the road bends.
According to eyewitnesses who spoke with local media, the funicular car careened down the hill, apparently out of control.
The Portuguese government said in a statement that an investigation into the causes will begin once the rescue operation is over.
Politicians offer condolences
Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas called the accident an “unprecedented tragedy.” He told reporters at the scene that the city was in mourning.
Portugese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offered his condolences to the affected families.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered her condolences. “It is with sadness that I learned of the derailment of the famous Elevador da Gloria,” she wrote in Portuguese on X.
What is Gloria funicular?
The Gloria funicular, which opened in 1885, connects an area of downtown Lisbon near Restauradores Square to the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), which is famous for its vibrant nightlife.
The two cars, which can each carry around 40 people, are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, and electric motors on the cars provide the traction.
The Gloria line is one of three funicular lines operated by the municipal public transportation company, Carris, and is used by tourists and local residents alike.
According to the town hall, the Gloria line transports around 3 million people annually.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
