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Investigators work at the site of a tram derailment in Lisbon on September 3 that killed eight people, including two South Koreans. / Source: AFP-Yonhap

Portuguese authorities confirmed on September 4 that two South Koreans were among the eight people killed in a tram derailment in Lisbon earlier this week.

According to prosecutors, the victims included five Portuguese citizens, two South Koreans, and one Swiss national. Local police are expected to release preliminary investigation results as early as next month.

The South Korean Embassy in Portugal also confirmed the deaths, saying it is “closely cooperating with local authorities and providing consular assistance to affected citizens.” Earlier, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul had reported one South Korean among the injured.

The accident occurred on September 3 when the Elevador da Glória, a funicular that connects Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto viewpoint, derailed. The tram, which carries more than 3.5 million passengers annually and is a popular tourist attraction, came off the tracks in central Lisbon.

Local media speculated that a damaged cable, which pulls the tram uphill and brakes it downhill, may have caused the accident. Officials, however, have not confirmed the cause, citing possibilities including brake failure or cable rupture.

Portugal declared a national day of mourning. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called the crash “a tragedy that transcends borders” and “one of the greatest tragedies in our recent history.”

At the site, investigators continued examining the wreckage while mourners laid flowers nearby. Churches in Lisbon held memorial services for the victims.