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Tragic Lisbon Cable Car Accident Claims 16 Lives
Portuguese authorities have completed the identification process for all 16 victims of the devastating cable tram accident that occurred in Lisbon on September 4, 2025. The victims include five Portuguese nationals and eleven foreign tourists from multiple countries.
International Victims Identified
The international victims include three British citizens, two South Koreans, two Canadians, and individuals from Switzerland, Ukraine, France, and the United States. Additionally, 21 people sustained injuries in the accident, with five remaining in critical condition.
Miraculous Survival Story
In a remarkable turn of events, a German tourist previously reported as deceased was found alive in a local hospital. The man's family had traveled from Germany to identify his body at the morgue but couldn't find him. They subsequently posted his photograph throughout Lisbon, leading a police officer to recognize him among the injured patients at a hospital.
The German's wife and their 3-year-old child were also injured in the crash. The mother remains in critical but stable condition at a separate medical facility.
Investigation Underway
Authorities are expected to release preliminary findings today regarding the cause of the catastrophic accident. A comprehensive investigative report is scheduled within 45 days. Police have not yet commented on whether mechanical failure or a broken cable caused the historic tram to derail and crash into a building.
Portuguese commercial broadcaster SIC, citing video evidence from the cable removal process, has reported that the steel cable connecting the tram cars snapped. Lisbon's iconic cable trams operate using steel cables to navigate the city's steep hills. All cable tram services remain suspended indefinitely pending the investigation's completion.
Cable car systems have been used for urban transportation since the 19th century, with safety mechanisms evolving over time.
