LISBON, Portugal — The death toll from the crash of a popular funicular railway in Lisbon has risen to 17, following the deaths of two individuals who succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has been described as one of the worst disasters in the capital's recent history.

Margarida Castro Martins, head of Lisbon’s Civil Protection Agency, confirmed that all the deceased were adults but did not disclose their names or nationalities, stating that families would be informed first. In addition to the fatalities, 21 people were injured, including a 3-year-old child. The injured range in age from 24 to 65 and include nationals from several countries, such as Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Morocco, South Korea, and Cape Verde.

As the nation observed a day of mourning, the scene of the accident remained cordoned off. The yellow-and-white streetcar, known as the Elevador da Glória, lay on its side after crashing into a building. Witnesses described hearing a loud crash, with one tourist, Felicity Ferriter, recalling, "We heard it, we heard the bang." She and her husband had just arrived in Lisbon and planned to ride the funicular the following day.

The funicular, which has been a significant tourist attraction since its inauguration in 1885, operates on a steep hill and is commonly used by both tourists and locals. It can carry over 40 passengers at a time. Francesca di Bello, a 23-year-old tourist from Italy, expressed her shock at the wreckage, stating, "Definitely not" when asked if she would ride a funicular again.

Investigators are currently examining the cause of the derailment, with officials not ruling out a faulty brake or a snapped cable. Witness Teresa d’Avó described the streetcar as appearing out of control, saying, "It hit the building with brutal force and fell apart like a cardboard box."

Emergency services responded quickly, with all victims extracted from the wreckage within two hours. The city has suspended operations of three other funiculars while inspections are conducted.

Carris, the company operating the Elevador da Glória, stated that all maintenance protocols had been followed and expressed condolences to the victims' families. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas both offered their sympathies, with Moedas calling the incident "a tragedy of the like we’ve never seen."

The Elevador da Glória is classified as a national monument and is a key part of Lisbon's cultural heritage, attracting millions of tourists each year. In light of the tragedy, flags at the European Parliament and European Commission in Brussels were flown at half-staff.