Families pay tribute to British couple killed in Lisbon funicular crash
Will Nelson and Kayleigh Smith have been named as two of the British victims
- Published
Families have paid tribute to a British couple killed in the Lisbon funicular crash.
Theatre director Kayleigh Smith, 36, and her partner Will Nelson, 44, a drama lecturer, were among the 16 who died when the Glória funicular, a popular tourist attraction, derailed and crashed into a building on Wednesday.
A third British victim has yet to be named.
The family of Ms Smith said she was loved for her wit and humour and that her "kind and caring nature came to the fore in her work as a funeral operative".
Mr Nelson's younger brother, who was not named in the statement, said that he "was not just my big brother but everyone's".
Ms Smith's family said that the couple's deaths had left everyone "heartbroken".
Mr Nelson's brother continued: "He was always kind, selfless, and protective and the world does not feel right or normal without him. He was and has always been my hero, and we will miss you always. Love you, rest in peace you legend."
Nationals of Portugal, South Korea, Switzerland, Canada, Ukraine, France and the US were also killed in the crash, police said.
Sir Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, said he was "deeply saddened" to hear that three Britons had died in the crash.
"His thoughts are with their families and those affected by this terrible incident. We stand united with Portugal during this difficult time," a spokesperson said.
It is not known what caused the crash. Public transport operator Carris said all funiculars would be inspected and that it had launched an independent investigation.
The 140-year-old carriage derailed at around 18:15 local time (17:15 GMT) near the city's Avenida da Liberdade boulevard.
More than 60 rescue personnel raced to the scene to pull people from the wreckage.
Videos and images of the site showed an overturned, crumpled yellow carriage lying on the cobblestone street.
Portugal's Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called the crash "one of the biggest human tragedies of our recent history" and a national day of mourning was declared.
Officials initially put the death toll at 17 but the number was revised down to 16.
A German citizen was believed to be among the dead but was later discovered to have been in hospital overnight.
'I'll never take the funicular again': Witness on moment of the crash
Carris said in a statement that it had complied with "all maintenance protocols".
It said that general maintenance took place every four years and was last carried out in 2022.
"Everything was scrupulously respected," company head Pedro Bogas said, adding that maintenance of the funiculars had been carried out by a contractor for the past 14 years.
A funicular is a type of railway system that allows travel up and down steep slopes. In Lisbon, they are a crucial means of navigating the city's steep, cobbled streets.
The city's funicular railways - Glória, Lavra, Bica and Graça - are a popular tourist attraction, as the bright yellow tram-like vehicles snake through the hilly streets.
Glória was opened in 1885 and electrified three decades later.
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