Oscar Puente stepped down on Tuesday following a crash near Urda that killed 69 people.
Spain's Transport Minister Oscar Puente resigned on Tuesday following a high-speed train collision near Urda that resulted in 69 deaths. According to reports from Hindustan Times and ThePrint, the announcement came six days after the October 28 accident occurred south of Madrid.
Puente told lawmakers that a minister cannot remain in office after two severe accidents occur in less than a year. He stated his decision was a matter of political dignity and empathy for the victims. The minister also withdrew his name from the candidate list for the general election scheduled for November 29.
The collision happened on the Madrid-Seville line when a Renfe train struck a stationary Iryo train. ThePrint reported that the crash occurred after central controllers in Madrid authorised the Renfe train to proceed despite the presence of the stationary vehicle. This followed a failure in the communication system used for safety monitoring.
This was the second major disaster on this line this year, following a January crash in Andalusia that killed 46 people. The recent accident has led to calls for accountability from opposition parties and railway unions, with the union Semaf calling for strikes on November 10 and 12.
Before resigning, Puente announced several safety measures, including the use of an artificial intelligence agent to monitor conversations between drivers and controllers. The government also promised a 30-million-euro aid package for families of the victims and plans to improve conditions in rail control centres.
