Lisbon, Sept. 4, 2025 (Lusa) - The main international news agencies and some of the world's leading newspapers are reporting on Wednesday's accident with the Gloria funicular in downtown Lisbon, which caused at least 15 deaths and 23 injuries.
Citing the Associated Press (AP) agency, the news of the derailment was featured on the online page of the US newspaper the Washington Post.
"The authorities called it an accident, the worst in the city's recent history, and it cast a shadow over Lisbon's charm for the millions of foreign tourists who arrive every year," said the AP.
France-Presse pointed out that the government had decreed a day of national mourning on Thursday and that the public prosecutor's office had announced the opening of an inquiry into the causes of the disaster. The Spanish news agency EFE noted that the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, had cancelled almost his entire agenda for today, while the Spanish Europa Press revealed that at least two Spanish citizens were among the injured.
The French daily Le Monde headlined ‘Ascensor da Glória in Lisbon derails, leaving at least 15 dead and 18 injured’, writing that the accident, the cause of which remains unknown, caused the carriage of the famous funicular to overturn.
Le Fígaro also highlights on its website ‘Portugal: Lisbon's iconic lift derails, killing 15 people, a day of national mourning’, noting that the Portuguese justice system has announced the opening of an inquiry following the accident, the causes of which are still unknown.
Spanish newspaper El Pais recalled that "this is not the first accident reported in the lift (...). Another incident occurred on 7 May 2018, due to a fault in the funicular's maintenance services, although the incident was resolved without victims."
Spain's El Mundo highlights images of the funicular derailment, headlining: "Portugal. The derailment of the Glória lift in Lisbon left 15 dead and 18 injured, two of them Spanish."
The English newspaper The Times highlights ‘Fifteen dead and 18 injured after funicular derails in Lisbon’, The Guardian ‘Portugal declares day of mourning for the 15 people who died in lift accident’ and the BBC ‘Lisbon in shock after funicular collapses leaving 15 dead’.
In Italy, Corriera dela Sera highlights "Lisbon funicular disaster: 15 dead. ‘The workers had reported the risks’, adding that there is an Italian woman among the injured, and La Stampa ‘Lisbon funicular disaster’, reporting that there are 15 dead.
On the other side of the world, Brazil's O Globo highlights "“Bondinho” de Lisboa. Glória funicular derails, overturns and leaves 15 dead; accident was caused by cable break‘ while Folha de São Paulo writes ’“Bondinho” derails in Lisbon and kills at least 15 people', emphasising that there are no Brazilian victims.
The Washington Post also headlines ‘15 dead and 18 injured after derailment of Lisbon's popular Glória funicular’, The New York Times writes ‘At least 15 dead after Lisbon Funicular derails and collapses, authorities say’ and CNN News ‘Historic Lisbon funicular derails in deadly crash at tourist spot’.
The director of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Judicial Police (PJ, the country's main criminal investigation agency), João Oliveira, told Sic TV News just after midnight this morning that the number of people injured was 23, an increase on the 18 initially reported, five of whom were in serious condition.
The injured are spread across the hospitals of São José, Santa Maria, São Francisco Xavier, Cascais and Amadora.
With regard to the nationalities involved, Mr Oliveira said in the same interview that some were foreigners, which "makes identification more difficult", without giving specific details.
The Elevador da Glória, in Lisbon, derailed on Wednesday at 6.04pm on Calçada da Glória.
The funicular is run by the municipal public transport operator, Carris and connects Restauradores to Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara, in Bairro Alto, on a route of around 265 metres, and is very popular with tourists.
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