LISBON: A famed Lisbon funicular derailed on Wednesday, leaving several people dead and injured in one of the Portuguese capital’s most popular tourist spots, the president and Portuguese media said.

The media reported that at least three people died when the Gloria funicular, one of the capital’s best-known symbols, overturned.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in a statement that several people had died and more were injured, without providing further details.

Footage from the site showed the tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a hillside in the Portuguese capital, destroyed, and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented the tragic accident in a statement, expressing hope that authorities would soon establish what had caused the crash.

The line, which opened in 1885, connects Lisbon’s downtown area near the Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), famous for its vibrant nightlife. It is operated by the municipal public transport company Carris.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025