Spain's transport minister resigns after train crash killed 69
What's the story
Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente has resigned after a deadly train crash near Madrid that killed 69 people on October 28. The crash was Spain's second major railway disaster this year, following a January collision that killed 46 people on the same line. Puente announced his resignation on Tuesday after hours of questioning by lawmakers over the crash. "A transport minister....cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year," he said.
Incident overview
Crash occurred after automatic safety system failure
The October 28 crash occurred when a high-speed train collided with a stationary train on the Madrid-Seville line.
An automatic safety system failure had stopped trains along a 63km stretch of track. Despite this, a control center authorized the Renfe train to continue its journey.
Leaked audio recordings between Madrid's control center and two train drivers appear to show that the Renfe train was given clearance to move even though the other train had stopped about 25km (15 miles) ahead.
Resignation context
Public anger over accidents
Puente's resignation comes amid growing public anger over the accidents.
On the night of the October 28 crash, police clashed with protesters outside the transport ministry headquarters.
Some demonstrators carried placards demanding Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's resignation.
The incident also raised questions about whether railway maintenance investment had kept pace with rising passenger numbers since liberalization in 2021.
Aftermath actions
Safety measures announced to restore public confidence
Earlier Tuesday, Puente announced several safety measures to restore public confidence in the rail network.
These include software to alert control centers of irregularities and an artificial intelligence system to monitor operations.
Decisions made by operators without automatic systems would require approval from a second operator.
The government has also announced a 30-million-euro aid package for victims' families from last week's crash.