Three British nationals were among 16 people killed when a historic funicular railway derailed in central Lisbon on Wednesday night. The crash on the popular tourist attraction has shocked both Portugal and the UK.
The victims included five Portuguese nationals, three British citizens, two Canadians, two South Koreans, one American, one French, one Swiss and one Ukrainian. A further 21 people suffered injuries, with five in a serious condition.
Government response
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. A Number 10 spokesman said the Prime Minister is "deeply saddened" that three British nationals died.
"His thoughts are with their families and those affected by this terrible incident," the spokesman continued. "We stand united with Portugal during this difficult time."
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it is providing support to the bereaved families. A spokesperson said: "We are supporting the families of three British nationals who have died following an incident in Lisbon, and are in contact with the local authorities."
Crash details
The 140-year-old Gloria funicular was packed with passengers when it came off the rails. One of the yellow carriages crashed into a building at a bend in the road during what should have been a routine three-minute journey.
Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro described the incident as "one of the biggest tragedies of our recent past". The government's office for air and rail accident investigations has completed its analysis of the wreckage and will release a preliminary report on Friday.
The Gloria funicular operates two separate yellow carriages that travel between Restauradores Square in central Lisbon and the Bairro Alto area. The electrified system uses steel cables to transport passengers up and down the steep slopes.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
