Two British nationals who were among the 16 killed in the Lisbon funicular crash – which left 22 others injured – have been named
Two Brits who were among the 16 people killed in the Lisbon tram tragedy have been named.
Kayleigh Gillian Smith, 36, and William Nelson, 44, were a couple on holiday in Portugal. A third British national is also among those killed. Portuguese authorities confirmed no Brits are among the 22 others who were injured.
The disaster unfolded on Wednesday evening when a 140-year-old streetcar hurtled down a steep hill, slammed into a building, and collapsed “like a cardboard box” before landing on its side in a cobbled street just metres from another tram filled with tourists. Twenty-two people were injured in the tragedy.
The couple boarded the popular tourist tram at around 6pm to enjoy a day of sightseeing. Kayleigh had posted a series of photos on Instagram just hours before the tragedy, writing alongside them: “Churches and castles, tiles and trams.”
Will was a lecturer at Manchester’s Arden School of Theatre, where Kayleigh had recently graduated from. The pair are said to have arrived in Portugal just a day before the fatal crash. A close friend of Kayleigh, Lesley Guymer, told The Telegraph: “Such a quirky lady, lovely, lovely lady. I’ve known her since she was in her teens. And Will was such a magnificent man. Big beard, charming, very, very, very lovely. Lovely family. The whole family.”
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply saddened” by the incident. His spokesperson said: “His thoughts are with their families and those affected by this terrible incident. We stand united with Portugal during this difficult time.”
Police confirmed on Friday morning that the dead included five Portuguese citizens, three Brits, two South Koreans, two Canadians, one American, one Ukrainian, one Swiss national and one French citizen.
Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, described the crash as “one of the biggest tragedies in recent history”.
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