Spain transport minister resignation follows Madrid-Seville high-speed train crash

Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned on Tuesday, days after a fatal high-speed rail crash. The collision happened south of Madrid and left 69 people dead. Puente announced the decision after speaking for hours to lawmakers. The crash was the second deadly incident this year on Spain’s high-speed rail network.

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During the parliamentary appearance, Puente linked the resignation to political responsibility after repeated tragedies. "A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot continue in his post after two accidents in less than a year,\" Puente told lawmakers. \"Its a question of political dignity, coherence and empathy with the victims.\"

Spain high-speed rail network faces renewed safety concerns

The two crashes added to questions about how safe Spain’s high-speed rail system is. The latest collision happened four weeks before a national election. Spain’s high-speed rail network was often seen as a key national achievement. It is the world’s second-largest system, after China’s. It ran for over three decades without a deadly crash.

The most recent incident occurred on 28 October on the Madrid-Seville line. A high-speed train struck another train that was stopped on the tracks. Investigators described a sequence that began with a failure in communications. That system was linked to the line’s security setup. Control was then shifted to central controllers in Madrid.

Madrid-Seville line crash details and control system failure

After Madrid controllers took over, one train was allowed to continue moving. That clearance was given even though \"there was a stationary train ahead.\" The error ended with a high-speed impact. The crash formed part of a wider review of procedures. It also highlighted reliance on communications and central decision-making during disruptions.

The October crash was the second major incident this year on the same Madrid-Seville route. In January, further south on the line, a train derailed. The derailed train then hit another train moving in the opposite direction. That earlier crash killed 46 people. Authorities said the January collision remained under investigation.

European Rail Traffic Management System and new safety steps

Earlier on Tuesday, Puente outlined extra steps planned for Spain’s rail network. Puente said the government would improve conditions in control centres. Puente also said Spain would push for quicker deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System. The ERTMS is a standard system for signalling and safety across Europe.

Puente’s resignation left Spain’s government facing pressure to show progress on rail safety. The two deadly crashes came within the same year and on a network used by many travellers. Investigations into both incidents were expected to guide future changes. The government’s planned measures were presented as immediate steps while reviews continued.

With inputs from PTI