Two British vacationers, Kayleigh Gillian Smith, aged 36, and William Nelson, aged 44, were identified as victims in the recent Lisbon tram accident that claimed 16 lives. They were on holiday in Portugal when the tragic incident occurred. Additionally, a third British national was among the casualties. Thankfully, Portuguese officials confirmed that no Britons were among the 22 individuals who sustained injuries.
The calamity transpired on Wednesday evening when an antique streetcar, operating for 140 years, careened down a steep incline, collided with a building, and crumpled before coming to rest on its side on a cobblestone street, mere meters away from another tram carrying tourists.
The couple had boarded the popular tourist tram around 6 pm to explore Lisbon’s sights. Kayleigh shared a series of photos on Instagram just hours before the unfortunate event, captioning them with “Churches and castles, tiles and trams.”
Both Smith and Nelson had arrived in Portugal just a day prior to the fatal crash. Nelson was a lecturer at Manchester’s Arden School of Theatre, where Smith had recently graduated. A close friend of Kayleigh, Lesley Guymer, described them as a delightful pair, highlighting their admirable qualities.
Authorities disclosed that among the deceased were five Portuguese citizens, three Brits, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one American, one Ukrainian, one Swiss national, and one French citizen. The tragedy elicited condolences from Sir Keir Starmer, expressing deep sorrow and solidarity with the affected families and Portugal during this distressing period.
The fatal incident is suspected to have been triggered by a malfunctioning cable on one of the tram cars, leading to passengers being trapped beneath the wreckage. Witnesses recounted the harrowing scene as the tram descended uncontrollably, smashing into a building with immense force. Rescuers rushed to aid those trapped, while onlookers expressed shock and concern for the trapped passengers.
The Gloria Funicular, an iconic mode of transport in Lisbon since 1885, connects the lower part of the city to the elevated Bairro Alto district. The investigation into the tragic event is ongoing as authorities strive to reconstruct the sequence of events during the routine 2,441ft journey of the cable car.
Emergency response teams, comprising 62 personnel and 22 vehicles, swiftly mobilized to the crash site near the popular Avenida da Liberdade, where the historic funicular operates, offering a brief but renowned journey through the city’s picturesque locales.