The identities of the two Canadians who died in the Elevador da Glória accident have been revealed as archaeologists André Bergeron and Blandine Daux, married for over twenty years with two children.
This was confirmed by Bergeron’s brother, Eric, who spoke before flying to Portugal with the couple’s children.
“It’s a total shock. 48 hours ago, if someone had told me I would be here, I would never have believed them,” admitted Eric Bergeron.
“My brother was here on vacation with his wife. They were enjoying perfect happiness until, on the last day of their vacation in Portugal, they died in a funicular accident. It was a shock, a deep shock,” Eric lamented.
Eric learned of the accident on Wednesday night while watching the news on television. Knowing his brother was in the Portuguese capital, he sent a message but received no reply.
Initially, he thought it might be due to the time difference, so he waited until the next morning. But still, there was no response.
Meanwhile, Violette, the couple’s daughter, turned to social media, posting a photo of her parents on TikTok with their names and nationalities, stating that Blandine was born in France and André in Canada.
In her post, Violette wrote: “My parents are most likely involved in the funicular accident that recently happened in Lisbon, Portugal. If you are in Lisbon, please help me find them.”
Eric went further by contacting the owners of the apartment the Canadian couple had rented, who confirmed their belongings were still there despite it being past check-out time.
Fear arose with this news, and later on Thursday, Eric received confirmation: his brother and sister-in-law had died in the accident. Their children are now orphaned.
On TikTok, Violette made a final post of her parents: a simple photo of them embracing. The background music begins with the phrase “soulmates are real.”
The description reads: “Mom, Dad, you were taken too soon and suddenly. I will always carry you in my heart.”
André and Blandine were prominent figures in Canadian archaeology
André Bergeron was a conservator specializing in archaeology at the Quebec Conservation Center in Canada.
“He was a world authority on underwater shipwrecks. He worked on them at the British Museum early in his career,” reported André’s brother.
“He was a fantastic man. I admired and deeply loved him. So did my sister-in-law. It’s a terrible tragedy,” added Eric Bergeron.
Blandine, who had lived in Canada since 2001, worked for 22 years at the Quebec Conservation Center, part of the national Ministry of Culture and Communications. She specialized in recovering metal objects.
The Quebec Archaeologists Association stated that the two specialists were “well-known and close to the community.”
“André was the conservator whom all archaeologists thought of when there was a sensitive field sample. How many times have we said or heard: ‘You should call André?'”, emphasized the Association.
The Ministry of Culture made a LinkedIn post praising the archaeologists’ “remarkable” contribution, beginning with the news being “very sad.”
“Their departure leaves a huge void in the Quebec Conservation Center and the Ministry of Culture and Communications”, lamented the ministry.
Le ministère de la Culture et des Communications annonce avec tristesse le décès de Blandine Daux et André Bergeron du Centre de conservation du Québec, survenu lors du déraillement du funiculaire de Lisbonne. Toutes nos pensées vont à leurs proches. https://t.co/wdzWfOfT6B
— Culture Québec (@MCCQuebec) September 5, 2025
André and Blandine died in the derailment of the Elevador da Glória on their last day of vacation in Portugal. The trip was to celebrate not only the Canadian’s birthday but also his retirement.
In addition to these two victims, there are 14 others. So far, only three other foreign victims’ names are known.
Kayleigh Smith, 36, Will Nelson, 44, a British couple on their first day of vacation in Portugal; and Heather Hall, an American, mother of two, and university professor, who was in Portugal to speak at a conference.
The couple decided to take the Elevador da Glória in the late afternoon of their first day in Lisbon and ended up dying in the derailment. They are two of the three British victims of the accident. The third is known as an 82-year-old man, whose name has not been disclosed.
Carolina Pereira Soares | 09:31 – 06/09/2025
