By Karim Hammam
Spain’s transport minister, Óscar Puente, announced his resignation on Tuesday, six days after a high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed 69 people.
Second fatal crash this year
The Oct. 28 crash occurred when a high-speed train slammed into a stationary train on the Madrid-Seville line. A communication system failure led controllers to authorize the moving train despite the stopped train ahead. It was the second deadly collision on the same line in 2026; a January derailment further south killed 46 people and remains under investigation.
Political accountability
Appearing before lawmakers, Puente said a transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents in less than a year, citing political dignity, coherence, and empathy with victims.
Safety measures announced
Earlier Tuesday, the government unveiled additional safety steps, including improved conditions in control centers and accelerated adoption of the European Rail Traffic Management System for signaling and safety.
Network under scrutiny
Spain’s high-speed rail network, the world’s second-largest after China’s, had not recorded a fatal crash in over three decades until this year. The collisions have raised fresh safety concerns weeks before a national election.
