Dad declared dead in Lisbon funicular disaster found alive in Portuguese hospital

The disaster occurred on Wednesday evening (Image: Getty)

A father who was declared dead in the Lisbon funicular disaster has been found alive in hospital. The man, from Hamburg, was thought to have been killed in front of his son when the city’s historic Glória Funicular derailed and slammed into a building at around 6pm. His wife was left seriously injured in the collision.

His devastated relatives had been told he was among the 16 victims at Sao Jose Hospital and were directed to the Institute of Forensic Medicine yesterday to identify his body. But when no match could be found, police escorted them back to the hospital treating the injured, where they discovered he was alive and receiving medical care.

His relatives were told he was amongst the 16 dead (Image: Getty)

The mix-up has added to confusion surrounding the crash, with authorities having already revised the death toll twice. Police are still working to formally identify three of the victims.

Luis Neves, head of Portugal’s national investigative police, said that based on evidence at the scene, the dead could include two Canadians, an American, a German and a Ukrainian national.

The first victim to be officially identified was 40-year-old Portuguese brakeman Andre Jorge Gonçalves Marques, who had worked on the tram line.

Footage from the crash showed one of Lisbon’s most famous attractions careering out of control before smashing into the corner of a hotel. Onlookers were heard screaming “there’s kids under there!” as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

The Glória Funicular, which opened in 1885 and has carried millions of tourists and locals up and down the city’s steep hills, was left in pieces. Each of its two parallel-running cars normally holds about 43 people. Initial reports suggest the funicular came loose before the crash.

The Portuguese public prosecutor’s office has launched a criminal investigation, but the precise cause of the disaster remains unknown. Engineers are now examining whether a mechanical failure or human error led to the tram losing control.

The Glória Funicular, electrified in 1915, typically carries around three million passengers a year, making it one of Lisbon’s most popular landmarks. Its catastrophic derailment has stunned both locals and tourists, with tributes pouring in for the victims.

Authorities say the identification of the remaining victims and the full cause of the crash may not be confirmed for several days.