Spanish transport minister resigns after deadly train crash
Spain's transport minister Óscar Puente resigned on Tuesday following a train crash that killed 69 people last week, one of Europe's worst railway disasters this century.
Puente, who had earlier pledged to work "tirelessly" to restore confidence in Spain's high-speed rail network, also announced he was withdrawing from the country's general election scheduled for November 29. The crash and another disaster in January have overshadowed campaigning for the ballot, in which Socialist prime minister Pedro Sánchez is trailing in opinion polls.
Safety Failures
The crash occurred when a Renfe train collided with a stationary Iryo train near Urda, about 80 miles south of Madrid. An automatic safety system failure halted trains on a 39-mile stretch, but a control center still authorized the Renfe service to proceed. Puente had previously ruled out resigning multiple times since the disaster.
I wish to inform you that I am not only stepping down from my position as minister of transport, but that I am also withdrawing my name from the lists for the early legislative elections on 29 November.
New Safety Measures
Before resigning, Puente announced several safety improvements, including new software for control centers that would issue automatic alerts and detect traffic anomalies. He proposed creating an AI agent to oversee the system and "minimise the possibility of human error", calling the plan unprecedented.
The measures also require a second operator to confirm decisions when automatic safety systems are down. Puente committed to reforming working conditions for control center operators, including monitoring fatigue levels. He also announced a €30m aid package for victims' families.
Union Criticism
The rightwing opposition and unions had criticized Puente for blaming the disaster on a single control center operator. The Semaf union, which has called strikes at Renfe, denounced worsening working conditions and "degraded systems". Critics say maintenance investment hasn't kept pace with passenger growth since rail network liberalization in 2021.
Related
