Lisbon prosecutors name three defendants in fatal Elevador da Glória crash investigation

Formal suspects named in criminal inquiry

Public prosecutors from Lisbon's Regional Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP), working with the Judicial Police, have designated three formal suspects (arguidos) in the Elevador da Glória crash probe. The named suspects are Filipe Fraga, the former director of Electric Mode Maintenance at municipal transport operator Carris, Gustavo Pita Soares, managing partner of maintenance firm MNTC, and the company MNTC itself. Carris terminated all maintenance contracts with MNTC following the crash. Prosecutors are preparing an indictment for suspected safety rule violations resulting in death, an offense punishable by three to ten years in prison, or two to eight years in cases of negligence. The public prosecution expects to conclude the inquiry and present formal charges before the end of 2026.

Technical failures and uncertified equipment

The investigation focuses on serious maintenance and assembly failures identified during technical inspections of the funicular. A preliminary report released by the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF) revealed that the traction cable that ruptured was uncertified for passenger transport installations and lacked operational compatibility with swivels. An engineering assessment conducted prior to the accident had already warned that the cable was unsuitable and should only serve as a temporary measure under close monitoring. Furthermore, investigators found evidence indicating that the funicular braking mechanisms may have been intentionally detuned by technicians to prevent cabin blockages during descent along the steep track.

Political friction and union demands

The disaster on 3 September 2025 resulted in 16 fatalities and 24 injuries across 15 nationalities, including 40-year-old Carris brakeman André Marques, a father of two. Transport union Strup/Fectrans criticized municipal authorities and Carris leadership for leaving formal inquiries unanswered since 17 September 2025. Union officials continue to question whether outsourcing maintenance to private contractors reduced service quality and whether passenger growth prompted necessary safety adjustments.

Strup/Fectrans addressed the ongoing delay in the official investigation findings in a formal statement to Carris staff.

While it is true that the essential answers can only be provided by the final report of official bodies, once again postponed, now to next year, Strup/Fectrans cannot fail to continue pointing to the chosen model, of outsourcing the maintenance of the elevator and funiculars to private companies, as among the causes for the occurrence of this tragedy, which must be kept in mind so that the same mistakes are not repeated.

Municipal response and upcoming tributes

Lisbon's municipal executive, led by a PSD, CDS-PP, and IL coalition under Mayor Carlos Moedas, previously approved victim support packages, the engineering of a modernized technological system for the funicular, and the creation of a memorial at Calçada da Glória. Opposition Socialist Party councillors have criticized the administration for withholding updates, accusing municipal leaders of using a damping tactic to avoid public debate. Neither the Glória nor the Lavra funicular had been subject to supervision by the Institute of Mobility and Transport. Union members will hold a memorial ceremony and lay a floral wreath at the base of Calçada da Glória at 10:30 on 3 September 2026 to mark the anniversary.