Spain’s transport minister resigns after Urda crash that killed 69
Óscar Puente has resigned as Spain’s transport minister, six days after a high-speed train ploughed into a stationary one near Urda, south of Madrid, killing at least 69 people. “A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year,” he told Congress. He will not stand in the 29 November election.
Mr Puente had insisted days earlier that he would stay, while opposition parties and some government allies demanded that he go. January’s crash on the same line killed 46. Leaked recordings appear to show that the Renfe train, carrying 397 passengers, was cleared to proceed although an Iryo train had stopped about 25km ahead after a signalling failure. Pedro Sánchez praised his colleague for stepping aside “out of dignity”. Many observers see the disaster as a severe blow to the Socialist-led government before the snap election.