Spain’s transport minister Óscar Puente resigns after deadly train crashes

Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente announced his resignation on Tuesday, November 3, following the deadly high-speed train collision in Urda, Toledo, which left 69 people dead. He made the announcement at the end of a more than four-hour appearance before the Permanent Deputation of the Spanish Congress, where he addressed questions about the tragedy and the government’s response.

Puente said he had made the decision shortly after the accident but waited until the initial investigative steps had been completed and emergency safety measures had been approved before making it public. “A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this severity in less than a year,” he said, describing his departure as a matter of political dignity, consistency and empathy for the victims.

The minister also confirmed that he would withdraw from the PSOE’s candidate list for the November 29 general election, where he had been expected to lead the party’s list in Valladolid.

During his congressional appearance, Puente defended the management of the railway system and rejected claims that safety had been sacrificed to maintain train punctuality. He also outlined measures to strengthen railway operations, including additional validation procedures when the LZB signaling system fails and reduced train frequencies on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line.

His resignation follows two major railway disasters in Spain this year. The January accident in Adamuz, Córdoba, killed 46 people, while the October 28 collision in Urda claimed 69 lives. The causes and responsibilities surrounding the latest crash remain under judicial investigation.