British Couple Among Victims in Lisbon Funicular Tragedy

Published: 06 September 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

A British couple, Kayleigh Smith and Will Nelson, have been identified among the 16 people killed in a Lisbon funicular accident on Wednesday, while the identity of a third British victim has yet to be confirmed. Smith, 36, a graduate of the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester, and Nelson, 44, a director who ran the master’s degree in directing at the same institution, were both widely respected in the arts community.

Tributes poured in from colleagues and local officials. MADS Theatre in Macclesfield, Cheshire, described Ms Smith as a “valued member of our society” whose contributions to the theatre were “considerable and deeply appreciated.” She was an award-winning director and actress who also undertook multiple crew and front-of-house roles, and held positions including vice-chair, membership secretary, and head of tech. Macclesfield MP Tim Roca echoed the sentiment, praising Smith as a “hugely talented theatre director” and Nelson for his dedication to nurturing creativity in students and colleagues.

Hours before the tragedy, Smith had shared photographs on Instagram of the couple’s first day in Lisbon, captioned: “Churches and castles, tiles and trams.”

The funicular accident, described by Portugal’s prime minister as “one of the biggest tragedies in our recent history,” also claimed the lives of five Portuguese citizens—four of whom worked at a local charity—two Canadians, two South Koreans, one American, one French citizen, one Swiss, and one Ukrainian. All but one victim were declared dead at the scene, and 21 others were injured.

The Gloria funicular, a historic attraction in Lisbon and a symbol of the city, links Restauradores Square with Bairro Alto over a 265-meter steep incline. The journey takes approximately three minutes, with two carriages traveling in opposite directions on a single cable. Witnesses reported seeing one of the yellow carriages plummet down the hill before derailing and crashing about 30 meters from the bottom, crumpled against the side of a building. Passengers in the opposing carriage described jumping through windows to escape as the carriage moved backward.

Officials confirmed that the streetcar, operational since 1914, undergoes daily half-hour visual inspections and received full maintenance last year. A preliminary technical report, initially expected on Friday, has been delayed until Saturday, while a broader report is anticipated within 45 days. As a precaution, three other funicular lines in Lisbon have been suspended.

The incident has left the city and international community mourning, highlighting the historic and cultural significance of the iconic yellow carriages and the tragic consequences of the accident.