On Wednesday evening, Sonia Silva was delayed in leaving work due to a colleague’s request for assistance. As a result, she missed her routine funicular ride down the hill in Lisbon with a friend. Upon arriving at the stop later, she discovered that the iconic Glória funicular had derailed and crashed into a building, resulting in the deaths of her friend and 15 others.
The incident claimed the lives of 16 individuals, including three British nationals, while five of the deceased were Portuguese, four of whom worked at the nearby Santa Casa da Misericórdia charity. A memorial service was held on Friday at a church adjacent to the charity’s headquarters, gathering numerous attendees who offered support to one another as they processed the tragedy.
Colleagues expressed their grief and confusion over the event, recalling their routines on the funicular. Silva, who has worked at the charity for eight years, described her bond with her colleague Sandra Coelho, emphasizing the difficulty of coping with her loss. Others at the church shared similar sentiments of devastation and reflected on the shared experience of using the funicular for transportation.
City councillor Rui Franco, who lost a close friend in the crash, expressed shock and anger over the incident, highlighting concerns regarding what the victims’ families would endure. Mourners speculated about the cause of the derailment, with remarks about overcrowding and maintenance issues being discussed. The leader of the rail workers’ union claimed that some staff had reported problems with the cable tension affecting braking functionality.
As investigations continue into the incident’s cause, many expressed uncertainty about returning to the funicular, including Silva, who stated she no longer intends to use it.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98eyp69018o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss