Maintenance questions as possible funicular crash cause found // Family reunion restrictions likely to be relaxed // Dozens of students released from airport

Portuguese news in English on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

Maintenance questions as possible crash cause identified

The cable connecting the Elevador da Glória’s two cabins gave way at the point where it connected to the higher vehicle, according to investigators’ first impressions, Expresso reports. The body responsible for investigating plane and rail accidents (GPIAAF) said even though the brakeman quickly applied the pneumatic and hand brakes, without the cable they weren’t enough to stop the cabin rolling 170 metres in less than 50 seconds, derailing and killing 16 people. The daily safety inspection couldn’t have identified the problem because it wasn’t visible without taking apart the special trolley (trambolho) connecting the cable to the cabin, the inspectors said. They said there was no evidence of human error among those operating the funicular, saying it was essential to evaluate how often and deeply the trambolho was inspected. The cable still had more than 40% of its 600-day life left.

Although the funicular has been modernised in several ways since it was installed in 1885, including with the use of electric motors, the investigators noted it still relies on the balance between the weight of the two cabins for safety. A preliminary report should be ready within a little more than 40 days and a final finding within a year. The Judiciary Police has found no indication of an intentional crime but is investigating possible negligence, Público reports.

The GPIAAF investigation note can be read in full here in English.

Maintenance contract changes raise questions

The million-dollar maintenance contract operators had with external company Main ended on the Sunday before the accident but Carris insists a new contract was in place, Expresso reports. A tender for a new maintenance provider was cancelled on August 14 because the costs were too high but Carris said a new contract was signed and there was no interruption of any kind to the services. Until 2007, maintenance of Lisbon’s elevators was carried out internally by Carris, which had a team of 24 people working 24 hours a day, Público reports. The current team includes six people and the daily inspection takes about half an hour. Main carried out the final daily inspection nine hours before the accident and didn’t find any problems, Público reports. The Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT) doesn’t have any responsibility for supervising the Elevadores da Glória or Lavra, Público reports. This is despite monitoring the similar systems in Bica and Santa Justa (by law it doesn’t even have to do that). That’s essentially because the cabins on Lavra and Glória have motors and the other two operate purely through the counterweighted cable.

Heritage railway enthusiast among those killed

The death toll from the crash has risen to 16, comprising five Portuguese and 11 foreigners, including one who loved visiting old railways, CNN Portugal reports. British 82-year-old Andrew David Kenneth Young had dedicated his retirement to visiting heritage railways and tramways and his family said it was a “comfort” to know the man everyone called “Dave” died pursuing a hobby that brought him such happiness. Brakeman André Marques, 40, and Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa workers Pedro Trindade, Alda Matias, Ana Paula Lopes and Sandra Coelho as the locals who died. The foreigners included 36-year-old theatre director and actress Kayleigh Smith and her boyfriend, fellow theatre worker William Nelson, 44, who were holidaying in Lisbon from the UK. Canadian couple and conservation workers Blandine Daux, 55, and André Bergeron, 70, also died. American teacher and mother-of-two Heather Hall, 52, Canadian-Moroccan man Aziz, 42, a Swiss 52-year-old, a 52-year-old Ukrainian refugee and a Korean couple also died.

Andrew David Kenneth Young. Photo: Young family via North Wales Police.

The German father of one of the two children who were on board the funicular, who had been declared dead, was actually in Hospital de São José, Público reported on Friday. The child had been released on Thursday and the mother remained in intensive care. Six people remained in intensive care on Sunday, although all but one of them was considered stable, Lusa reports.

Lisbon mayor insists he won’t resign

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas says he won’t resign over the tragedy, insisting no mistake can be attributed to him, Público reports. He said there would be technical and human responsibilities for the crash but brushed off any suggestion he could be responsible, arguing he could not interfere with council-run company Carris and could only give it the right conditions to operate in. “If someone can prove there was a political error, I’ll resign, obviously,” he said. The mayor claimed a previous instance when he called for then-mayor Fernando Medina to resign over the “Russiagate” scandal was “incomparable” and a minister’s resignation after a bridge collapse was also different. Moedas labelled those who’d called for his resignation “hitmen” trying to “politicise the tragedy”, Público reports. That prompted the Socialist Party, whose candidate Alexandra Leitão is running against him next month, to accuse Moedas of disrespecting the victims by using them to avoid discussing political responsibilities.

This Monday, opposition councillors criticised Moedas for having left an extraordinary meeting about the tragedy before lunch, Público reports. The left-wing parties claimed it was another example of the mayor trying to reduce his political responsibilities relating to the accident. Moedas’ office said he’d left for a meeting with the health minister about the conditions of those injured. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Moedas had “political responsibility” but it wouldn’t make sense for him to resign, Lusa reports. It would be up to voters in the municipal elections on October 12 to judge, the president said.