Deadly Derailment: Lisbon's Gloria Funicular Claims 15 Lives

At least 15 people have died and 18 are injured after the Gloria funicular in Lisbon derailed and crashed, emergency services reported. Among the injured is a child, with five individuals in serious condition.

The tram-like funicular, a popular tourist attraction, was severely damaged in the incident, with emergency workers rescuing people from the wreckage. Some of the victims are foreign nationals, but their identities have not been disclosed.

Lisbon's mayor, Carlos Moedas, announced three days of mourning for the victims of the accident, expressing condolences to their families and friends. The cause of the crash, which occurred at the start of the evening rush hour, is currently unknown.

The Gloria funicular, a national monument connecting downtown Lisbon with Bairro Alto, suffered the accident despite scheduled maintenance by the operating company, Carris. The second carriage on the funicular was unharmed, but passengers experienced a violent jolt when the other carriage derailed.

The funicular, designed by engineer Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard and opened in 1885, is a well-known mode of transport in Lisbon, carrying around three million passengers annually. An investigation into the cause of the accident will commence following the completion of the rescue operation.