At Least 15 People Killed and 18 Injured in Lisbon Tram Crash
At least 15 people have died and 18 others were injured, including five seriously, after a funicular tram derailed in a tourist area of Lisbon on Wednesday. The mayor of the Portuguese capital described the accident as a "tragedy without precedent".
Thiago Augusto, the person in charge, stated that all victims had been taken to the hospital, specifying that some were foreigners, although he did not disclose their nationality.
The Portuguese government has declared a national day of mourning for Thursday to pay tribute to the victims.
The accident, whose details are not yet known, occurred around 6:00 pm (local time). The famous Glória funicular, which connects Rossio Square to the Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real neighborhoods, derailed and overturned.
The tram company claimed to have followed "all maintenance protocols".
Lisbon's mayor, Carlos Moedas, said: "This is a tragedy without precedent in our city".
Images broadcast on local television showed a large number of civil protection, police, and emergency services personnel deployed in the sloping street where the tram lay on its side, severely damaged.
The tram, which can accommodate around 40 passengers, is a popular mode of transportation among the many tourists visiting the Portuguese capital.
