Lisbon held a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 16 victims of a funicular derailment that occurred a year prior. The ceremony took place near the crash site, where a 150-year-old olive tree was surrounded by limestone blocks inscribed with the names of those who died. Officials from various countries attended, and a senior Catholic church representative provided a blessing.
The incident was among the most significant tragedies in the Portuguese capital’s recent history. The funicular, a historic yellow streetcar that has operated for roughly 150 years, is a major draw for tourists visiting the city’s steep hillside neighborhoods. Official records indicate that 11 of the 16 fatalities were foreign nationals, primarily visitors to the city. The accident also resulted in 24 injuries.
The Gloria funicular has remained closed since the accident while investigations continue. Two additional city funiculars are also offline for inspection purposes. Regular streetcar service throughout the city continues to operate normally. Lisbon recorded approximately 10 million visitors in the previous year, with tourism representing a significant economic sector for the city.
Carris, the company managing Lisbon’s public transportation, announced plans to initiate an international bidding process in the first quarter of next year for modernization of the affected funicular, with an anticipated return to service by 2029. Portugal’s public prosecutor’s office indicated it expects to release a comprehensive investigative report by March addressing the causes of the crash and potential criminal responsibility.
Families of the victims expressed frustration regarding the lack of communication from authorities throughout the investigation period. A preliminary report released earlier had identified a fractured steel safety cable and maintenance deficiencies as contributing factors. The streetcar traveled downhill before derailing on a curve and colliding with a nearby building, severely damaging its wooden structure.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI