Lisbon, Sept. 4, 2026 (Lusa) - One of the families of the 16 people killed in the Glória funicular derailment in Lisbon is demanding a formal apology from Carris, as well as compensation of €1 million, the family's lawyer said on Thursday.
Nuno Pinto Coelho de Faria, the lawyer representing the family of Isaque Adam, the widower of Ana Paula Lopes, an employee of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa who died in the Glória funicular accident, justified the demand for a formal apology from Carris, the municipal company responsible for the public transport system involved in the accident, citing its obligation to transport people safely.
Thursday marks one year since the derailment of the Glória funicular, which occurred on 3 September 2025 and left 16 dead and 24 injured, mainly foreign tourists.
«There is certainty today that Carris, whatever the reason may be, failed to fulfil its primary and most fundamental obligation, and the first thing it should have done was to apologise, regardless of who was to blame,» he explained, noting that this demand is included in the case filed in court «a few months ago» by Isaque Adam and his daughter.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, the lawyer said that «in Portugal we tend to think that apologising means admitting guilt. No, it is simply a matter of expressing, in a heartfelt and genuine way, solidarity for the harm we have caused another.» This court case also seeks compensation of '€1.075 million' for the widower Isaque Adam and the couple's daughter, because the amount offered by Carris's insurer ‘was sufficiently unsatisfactory' to warrant pursuing a possible settlement, said Nuno Pinto Coelho de Faria, without specifying the sum, but emphasising that the difference «is irreconcilable».
In addition to this Portuguese family, the lawyer also represents Hind Higuernane, a Moroccan national residing in Canada, who was seriously injured and also lost her husband in the derailment.
In the case of this Moroccan citizen, «out-of-court negotiations are still ongoing», said Nuno Pinto Coelho de Faria, adding that the next steps have yet to be decided.
«We are assessing whether to proceed immediately to court or to wait for the indictment, which is expected shortly. In the context of the indictment, as the Public Prosecutor's Office has communicated to several of the injured parties—we will exercise the right to compensation within the criminal proceedings, should we not yet have reached a consensus,» he said.
The lawyer acknowledged that, throughout this year, there has been limited contact with the victims and some challenges in accessing information, as recently highlighted in an open letter from victims and family members affected by the accident.
In the case of the widower, Isaque Adam, according to the lawyer, it was necessary to make a complaint and demand such contact for this to happen, including through a meeting with the president of Portugal, António José Seguro, when almost six months had passed since the accident and «it was impossible to find out anything».
«It is perfectly understandable, that institutions, such as the City Council, Carris and others, often lack the capacity to understand how to respond to the real needs of those affected by tragedies […] at first, they were uncertain about the best course of action and believed it to be merely a communication issue: announcing funds and support that, in practice, turned out to be unavailable; and it is often more important to face up to reality, even when it is unpleasant, and acknowledge that this is the reality, rather than giving false hope and false assurances», he stated.
As for the delay in the investigations by the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF) and the Public Prosecutor's Office into the causes and responsibilities for the accident, with conclusions expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027, Nuno Pinto Coelho de Faria emphasised that complex technical analyses are underway, which require the allocation of resources and demonstrate the importance of establishing what happened.
«We understand, we accept and we believe it will be worth the wait […] we would like it to be quicker, but we know why it isn't, and we believe this will certainly not be a case where we can regret, ultimately, any delay,» he said.
The lawyer also revealed that the widower, Isaque Adam, met with the mayor and deputy mayor of Lisbon City Council on Wednesday, Carlos Moedas (PSD) and Gonçalo Reis (PSD), respectively, during which they «very calmly» exchanged various views on the accident, emphasising that it was clear the local councillors themselves «were uncertain how to respond» to the tragedy, «because, fortunately, one rarely has to deal with this».
«But one of the main ways to respond, as the families emphasised today, is to allow the investigation to proceed uninterrupted, to seek equitable treatment, and to ensure that people can easily find support,» he stressed, highlighting the wall of silence they face, whilst noting that the situation has been gradually improving.
Regarding Hind Higuernane, Nuno Pinto Coelho de Faria explained that this victim of the accident is still recovering from her injuries, «the psychological trauma is the greatest» and she has «still significant» physical limitations, which is why she was not present today at the unveiling of the memorial to the victims; however, «she remains involved and is following everything closely, albeit from a distance».
SSM/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
