Tragic Lisbon Streetcar Accident Claims 16 Lives

Lisbon, Sept. 5 (AP) – Portuguese police announced on Friday that 11 out of the 16 people who lost their lives in a streetcar derailment in Lisbon were foreigners. The incident happened on Wednesday, and an initial investigative report regarding the cause of the crash is expected to be released soon.

The victims – Police confirmed that the deceased included five Portuguese nationals, three British citizens, two Canadians, two South Koreans, one American, one French, one Swiss, and one Ukrainian. A German man, initially reported as dead, was found to be in a Lisbon hospital, with no explanation given for this earlier error. These details followed forensic identification of the victims.

The crash – The yellow-and-white Elevador da Gloria, recognized as a national monument, was carrying both locals and international tourists when it derailed on a steep downtown street, resulting in 16 fatalities and injuring 21 people. Investigations are being carried out by multiple agencies, and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro emphasized the magnitude of the tragedy, calling it “one of the biggest tragedies of our recent past.”

The investigation – The government's Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations has completed its analysis of the wreckage, with a preliminary technical report due on Friday. It's unclear how detailed the findings will be. Chief police investigator Nelson Oliveira mentioned that a more comprehensive police report is expected within 45 days. Meanwhile, the streetcar wreckage has been secured under police custody.

International impact – The crash has sparked a global response, as several nationalities were involved. A French-Canadian dual citizen was among the victims, as stated by the French Foreign Ministry on Friday. Additionally, SITRA, the transport workers' trade union, confirmed that the streetcar's brakeman, Andre Marques, was one of the deceased. The tragedy also claimed the lives of four employees from Santa Casa da Misericordia, a national Portuguese charitable organization. Injured individuals include Spaniards, Israelis, Portuguese, Brazilians, Italians, and French citizens, according to Alvaro Santos, Executive Director of Portugal’s National Health Service.

A nation in mourning – On Thursday, a national day of mourning was observed. Hundreds gathered at Lisbon's majestic Church of Saint Dominic for a solemn Mass, with Prime Minister Montenegro, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas in attendance.

Inspections and operations – The funicular, operating since 1914, undergoes daily visual inspections and a full maintenance program annually, said Carris CEO Pedro de Brito Bogas. The last inspection took place just nine hours before the derailment. Details of the visual inspection and cable testing procedures were not specified. Following the accident, Lisbon's City Council suspended operations of three other funicular streetcars pending immediate inspections.

Tourists' reactions – Tourists in the area expressed shock and apprehension. Felicity Ferriter, a 70-year-old British tourist, was nearby when she heard the crash. She and her husband had planned to ride the streetcar the following day, calling it a "highlight" of their visit. Francesca di Bello, a 23-year-old Italian tourist, had been a passenger on the Elevador da Gloria just hours before the tragedy. She expressed her reluctance to ever board a funicular again.

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