On September 3, a major transport accident occurred in the capital of Portugal. The Gloria funicular, popular with tourists, derailed, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 people and injuring 23. The city authorities declared three days of mourning, DW reports.

The funicular car derailed and crashed into a building. Five of the victims were seriously injured, including a three-year-old child, whose condition is assessed by doctors as satisfactory. The bodies of all the victims were removed from the rubble.

The nationalities of the dead and injured have not yet been reported, but it is known that there are foreigners among them. One eyewitness told the SIC television channel that the funicular car, racing down a steep street "at full speed", crashed into the building "with monstrous force" and "collapsed like a house of cards".

Lisbon City Council has declared three days of mourning, starting September 4. "Our city has never seen such a tragedy," said Lisbon Mayor Carlos Muedas.

According to preliminary data, the cause of the accident could have been a break or weakening of the traction cable. Lisbon transport company Carris stated that the carriage involved in the accident had undergone maintenance in a timely manner in accordance with established protocols.

Representatives of Carris said that they have already launched an investigation into the incident and will conduct it jointly with law enforcement agencies.

The “Gloria” Funicular is one of Lisbon's main attractions, connecting the central Baixa district with the hillside Bairro Alto district. It is the most famous funicular in the Portuguese capital, and its image is used to make souvenirs.

The history of the transport facility spans almost a century and a half: it was first put into operation in 1885 and electrified in 1915. According to information on the website of national monuments of Portugal, the funicular undergoes major repairs every four years.

This is one of the largest transport disasters in the modern history of Lisbon.