Spain’s Transport Minister Resigns After Two Train Disasters

Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente has resigned following two fatal train accidents that killed 115 people within a year. His resignation was announced after a parliamentary session where he faced intense questioning over the Urda railway disaster.

The latest incident occurred on October 28 near Urda, Toledo, when two high-speed trains collided, killing 69 people and injuring over 200. This followed another deadly crash in January near Adamuz, Córdoba, which claimed 46 lives.

Puente stated that his decision to resign was driven by political responsibility and the need for accountability, despite not having direct involvement in the accidents. He also announced he would not run as the PSOE’s candidate for Valladolid in the upcoming general election.

The Urda collision involved a failure in the signaling system, which led to multiple trains stopping. A controller at Adif’s Madrid control center authorized a train to proceed despite another train remaining stationary ahead. The crash occurred at speeds between 160 and 200 kilometers per hour, according to preliminary reports.

Political pressure mounted as opposition parties and several government allies demanded Puente’s resignation. Critics questioned his handling of the disasters and the transparency of information provided to the public.

The government has proposed several safety measures, including reducing train services on the Madrid-Seville line, implementing a dual-controller system for signaling failures, and introducing AI to monitor communications between train drivers and controllers. An emergency aid package worth €30 million has also been approved for victims and their families.