Theatre director Kayleigh Smith and her partner Will Nelson, a drama lecturer, have been identified as two of the British victims of the Lisbon funicular crash. MADS Theatre in Macclesfield honored Smith's memory, stating she was a dear friend to many and will be greatly missed. The Glória funicular, a popular tourist attraction, derailed and collided with a building on Wednesday, resulting in a total of 16 fatalities, including nationals from several countries such as Portugal, South Korea, Switzerland, Canada, Ukraine, France, and the US.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed his condolences, noting the tragedy affected three British nationals, and emphasized the UK's solidarity with Portugal during this challenging time. The cause of the incident remains under investigation, and Carris, the public transport operator, has stated that all funiculars will be inspected.
The crash occurred around 18:15 local time (17:15 GMT), near Avenida da Liberdade, with over 60 rescue personnel deployed to assist in the aftermath.
The Glória funicular, which opened in 1885, is part of Lisbon's transport network that helps navigate the city's steep, cobbled streets. Officials had announced a national day of mourning in response to what Portugal's Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called one of the biggest human tragedies of our recent history. While the initial death toll was reported as 17, it has been revised to 16 after the discovery that a German citizen had been hospitalized and was not deceased.
