Wed Sep 03 20:46:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Lisbon Landmark Funicular Derails, Leaving 15 Dead, 18 Injured**
**LISBON, PORTUGAL – September 4, 2025** – A tragic accident involving Lisbon’s iconic Gloria funicular, also known as the Elevador da Gloria, has claimed the lives of 15 people and left 18 others injured. The derailment occurred on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, around 6 p.m. local time, during the evening rush hour.
The yellow-and-white electric streetcar, a major tourist attraction and national monument, derailed while traveling on its steep downtown route. The vehicle, capable of carrying over 40 passengers, appeared to have crashed into a building at a bend in the road. Eyewitnesses reported that the streetcar careened down the hill, seemingly out of control.
Emergency services responded to the scene, but the operation was largely concluded after two hours. Among the injured, five are in serious condition, including a child. The nationalities of the injured are still being determined, but authorities confirmed that an unknown number of foreigners are among those affected.
Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas described the incident as a “tragic accident,” the worst in the city’s recent history, expressing his condolences to the families of the victims. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have also offered their condolences.
The cause of the derailment remains unknown and an official investigation will commence following the completion of rescue operations. The Portuguese government has pledged a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Gloria funicular, a popular tourist attraction, shuttles passengers up and down a steep hill on a curved, traffic-free track. Lisbon hosted approximately 8.5 million tourists last year, many of whom take the ride on the historic streetcar.
First Piper 