Spanish transport minister resigns after deadly train crash

Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente has resigned following a high-speed train collision that resulted in at least 69 fatalities and numerous injuries. His resignation was announced in Congress, where he had previously addressed the incident near the town of Urda, south of Madrid.

Puente stated that a transport minister in Spain cannot remain in office after two serious accidents within a year. He referenced a previous fatal crash in January in Andalus, southern Spain.

The latest crash occurred when a Renfe high-speed train collided with a stationary train operated by the Iryo company. Puente announced his resignation at the end of a congressional session, where he had also presented new rail safety measures and faced questioning from opposition members.

Puente claimed he made the decision immediately after the disaster on 28 October. He had been under increasing pressure from opposition parties and some government allies to resign.

Leaked audio recordings released by Spanish media shortly after the crash revealed conversations between train drivers and a control centre minutes before the incident. Three audio tapes between Madrid's control centre and two train drivers appear to indicate that one high-speed train was allowed to proceed despite another train having stopped on the track, approximately 25km ahead.