Lisbon, Sept. 2, 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Public Prosecutor's investigation into the derailment of the Gloria funicular in Lisbon, which claimed 16 lives a year ago, is awaiting the completion of tests and expert reports scheduled for this coming November, it was announced on Wednesday.
In a statement, the public prosecutor's office noted that its investigation, which is separate from that being carried out by the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF), «is awaiting the conclusion of the tests and technical expert reports, which are expected to be completed in November».
According to the body, this will be followed by a «thorough analysis of the facts, a careful assessment of the sufficiency of evidence and the determination of any criminal liability; it is therefore estimated that the final report on the investigation, barring any unforeseen circumstances, may be issued by the end of the first quarter of 2027».
Consequently, the report will be published at the same time as the GPIAAF's final report on the Glória funicular accident, which was due to be ready one year after the accident, on 3 September, but which, «due to the complexity of the technical expert reports», is now expected to be published by «the end of the first quarter of 2027».
The historic lift derailed on 3 September 2025 at 6 p.m., in an accident that claimed 16 lives, mainly foreign tourists, but also five Portuguese nationals: brake operator André Marques, who was operating one of the carriages on this service run by the municipal transport company Carris, and four employees of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa who were using this public transport service.
The accident also left 24 people injured, nine of whom were seriously injured. All «remain in a condition where their clinical prognosis has not yet been definitively established», Carris insurer, Fidelidade, reported on 27 August.
The preliminary report published in October highlighted faults and omissions in the maintenance of the funicular, as well as a lack of staff training and supervision of the work carried out by the service provider.
The opposition parties in the Lisbon city council have criticised the local authority's lack of information and responses regarding the derailment, calling for a full explanation of what happened, whilst the city mayor, Carlos Moedas, described the ongoing judicial investigation as «welcome», following searches carried out by the Judicial Police at the transport operator's headquarters.
In July, Carris clarified that relatives of the accident victims had reported that they «had not yet received the death certificates» and revealed that three claims for compensation had been filed at that time.
RCP/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
