By Salma El-Sakka
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned on Tuesday after a train crash that killed 69 people last week, one of Europe’s deadliest railway disasters this century. He also announced his withdrawal from the upcoming general election on 29 November.
Resignation announced in parliament
Puente made the announcement at the end of a lengthy hearing before lawmakers, stating he was stepping down as minister and removing his name from the Socialist Party’s electoral lists. He had previously ruled out resigning several times since the disaster.
Crash details and safety failures
The collision occurred on Wednesday when a state-owned Renfe train ploughed into a stationary Iryo train near the village of Urda, about 80 miles south of Madrid. An automatic safety system had failed, halting trains on a 39-mile stretch, but a control centre operator authorised the Renfe service to proceed.
Political fallout and union criticism
The right-wing opposition and unions had demanded Puente’s resignation, criticising him for appearing to blame a single control centre operator. The train drivers’ union Semaf has called strikes for 10 and 12 November, citing worsening working conditions and “degraded systems”.
Safety measures and aid package
Earlier on Tuesday, Puente presented measures including software to issue automatic alerts in control centres, an AI agent to oversee the system, and a requirement for a second operator to confirm decisions when the safety system is down. He also announced a €30 million aid package for victims’ families and the injured.
Previous crash on same line
Another collision in Andalusia in January killed 46 people on the same high-speed line connecting Madrid and Seville, which opened in 1992. Critics say maintenance investment has not kept pace with increased passenger numbers since the rail network’s liberalisation in 2021.
