LISBON: Fifteen people lost their lives in the derailment of the 140-year-old Gloria funicular, a major tourist attraction in Lisbon.

Another 18 people were taken to hospital, five of them in a serious condition, according to emergency services. Foreign nationals were among the dead, though their nationalities have not yet been confirmed. The crash occurred around 18:05.

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas visited victims in hospital on Wednesday night, calling it a “tragic moment for the city.” The government has declared a day of national mourning, while the mayor will attend a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed “sympathy and solidarity with the families affected by this tragedy.”Police and emergency workers spent hours at the scene as multiple investigations began, led by the funicular operator, the national transport safety authority, and criminal police.

The head of Carris, Lisbon’s public transport operator, visited the site Wednesday night. The company said the Gloria funicular had undergone four-yearly major maintenance, interim biennial maintenance, and regular daily, weekly, and monthly checks.

Eyewitnesses suggested the braking system failed, sending the carriage hurtling down the steep street into a building.
Several passengers were trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed. The number of people onboard remains unclear.