EXPOSED: Leaked Documents Reveal Lisbon’s Glória Funicular Failed Safety Test Last Month – Yet Continued Carrying Tourists Daily

By Elena Vasquez, International Correspondent

Lisbon, Portugal – September 9, 2025 – The catastrophic derailment of Lisbon’s Elevador da Glória funicular on September 3, 2025, which killed 16 people and injured 21 others, has taken a shocking turn with the emergence of leaked documents. These internal reports, allegedly from Lisbon’s public transport operator Carris and its maintenance contractor MAIN – Maintenance Engineering, reveal that the Glória funicular failed a critical safety test in August 2025, just weeks before the tragedy. Despite this failure, the iconic yellow-and-white funicular continued to operate, ferrying thousands of tourists and locals daily up and down the steep 265-meter incline connecting Baixa-Chiado to Bairro Alto. The revelations have sparked outrage, renewed calls for accountability, and raised questions about systemic negligence in Lisbon’s transport infrastructure.

The Elevador da Glória, a beloved symbol of Lisbon since its opening in 1885, is one of three funiculars in the city, transporting over three million passengers annually. On that fateful evening at approximately 6:05 p.m. (WEST), the descending car’s haulage cable snapped, sending it hurtling uncontrollably down the Calçada da Glória. The car derailed, overturned, and crashed into a building, leaving a trail of devastation. Among the victims were eight foreign nationals, including tourists from the UK, Spain, and the US, as well as Portuguese locals. The tragedy prompted a national day of mourning and an ongoing investigation by the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Accidents in Civil Aviation and Rail (GPIAAF). Now, the leaked documents threaten to expose a cover-up that allowed a known safety risk to persist.

According to the documents, obtained by an anonymous whistleblower and circulated on X, a stress test conducted on August 15, 2025, revealed “significant wear” in the funicular’s primary haulage cable. The test, part of a routine biennial inspection, involved simulating maximum load conditions to assess the cable’s integrity. The results reportedly showed microfractures in the steel strands, indicating fatigue that could lead to catastrophic failure under the funicular’s steep 17.7% gradient. The report recommended “immediate replacement” of the cable and a temporary suspension of operations pending repairs. Shockingly, a follow-up memo dated August 20, purportedly signed by a senior MAIN engineer, advised that “temporary reinforcement” of the cable would suffice to meet operational demands, citing budget constraints and the upcoming tourist season.

Carris, which has outsourced maintenance of its funiculars to MAIN since 2011 under a €1 million contract, has faced criticism for years over the quality of its maintenance practices. The leaked documents corroborate claims by the Carris workers’ union, which has repeatedly flagged MAIN’s “substandard work” and inadequate staffing. “We warned them,” said union spokesperson Carla Mendes in a statement to reporters. “The Glória’s cables were overdue for replacement by at least six months. Management ignored our reports to keep the tourists coming.” The documents also reveal that the funicular’s last major overhaul, conducted in 2022, failed to address concerns about the aging infrastructure, despite warnings from engineers about the cable’s diminishing tensile strength.

The decision to keep the Glória running has drawn fierce backlash. “This is criminal negligence,” said Lisbon resident Ana Ribeiro, whose cousin was among the injured. “They knew the cable was failing and chose profits over lives. How many more tests were ignored?” Social media platforms, particularly X, have erupted with similar sentiments, with hashtags like #GloriaCoverUp and #JusticeForVictims trending globally. One post read, “Leaked docs prove Carris gambled with lives. That cable was a ticking time bomb. Who signed off on this?” Another user questioned, “Why wasn’t the public told? Tourists were riding a death trap!”

The GPIAAF’s preliminary report, released on September 6, confirmed that the derailment was caused by a broken haulage cable, likely due to material fatigue. However, the report made no mention of the August test failure, raising suspicions of a deliberate omission. Sources close to the investigation, speaking anonymously, suggest that Carris and MAIN withheld the test results from regulators to avoid costly downtime during Lisbon’s peak tourist season. “The funicular is a cash cow,” said one source. “Shutting it down in August would’ve meant millions in lost revenue. They rolled the dice and lost.”

The leaked documents add fuel to an already complex narrative surrounding the crash. Survivors have reported seeing sparks under the seats moments before the derailment, though investigators found no electrical faults. A diary found in the wreckage, allegedly belonging to a Canadian victim, contained cryptic warnings about avoiding the “11 PM ride,” despite the crash occurring hours earlier. Most recently, firefighters discovered a phone still recording audio, capturing a haunting whisper of “Stop” just before the impact. These eerie findings, combined with the leaked documents, have fueled speculation ranging from mechanical sabotage to supernatural phenomena tied to the funicular’s history atop Roman ruins and its survival of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas, under pressure to address the scandal, issued a statement promising “full transparency” and an independent audit of Carris’s operations. “This tragedy has broken our city’s heart,” he said. “If mistakes were made, those responsible will face justice.” Prime Minister Luís Montenegro echoed this sentiment, vowing to hold all parties accountable. Meanwhile, the Portuguese government has ordered immediate safety inspections of the city’s other funiculars, Lavra and Bica, which remain closed indefinitely.

The international community has also weighed in, with victims’ families from Germany, Spain, and the US demanding answers. “My brother trusted that funicular,” said Sarah Thompson, whose sibling died in the crash. “If they knew it was unsafe, why was he allowed to board?” Legal experts predict a wave of lawsuits against Carris and MAIN, potentially costing millions and tarnishing Lisbon’s reputation as a safe tourist destination.

As investigators pore over the leaked documents, questions remain: Who authorized the funicular’s continued operation? Were regulators complicit in overlooking the test failure? And could the tragedy have been prevented? For now, the Elevador da Glória stands silent, its tracks a grim reminder of a preventable disaster. Memorials of flowers and candles line the crash site, with notes pleading for accountability. As Lisbon grapples with grief and betrayal, the leaked documents serve as a stark warning: the cost of cutting corners can be measured in lives lost.