Spain's transport minister quits after deadly train crash

Spain’s transport minister has resigned following a fatal train collision in October.

The incident occurred on October 28 in southern Madrid. A high-speed train struck another train that had stopped on the tracks. At least 69 people died in the crash.

The accident happened after a failure in the communication system on the Madrid-Sevilla line. This system is essential for the safety protocols on that route. Train controllers in Madrid took over control of the line. They gave the signal for one train to continue moving even though another train was stationary ahead of it.

This was the second major train crash on the Madrid-Sevilla line in 2026. In January, a train derailed and hit another train traveling in the opposite direction. That crash killed 46 people. The investigation into the January incident is still ongoing.

Óscar Puente announced his departure on Tuesday. He spoke during a multi-hour session before a parliamentary committee. The committee was reviewing the recent crash. He noted that Spain is the second largest high-speed rail network in the world, behind only China. The system had not seen a fatal accident in over 30 years until this year.

Puente told lawmakers that a transport minister cannot stay in office after two accidents of this severity in less than a year. He called it a matter of political dignity, coherence, and empathy for the victims. His statement highlighted the pressure on the government ahead of national elections scheduled for four weeks from now.

Along with his resignation, Puente announced new safety measures for the rail network. These include improvements to control center conditions. The government will also push for a faster rollout of the European Standardized Railway Traffic Management System. This system is designed for safety and signaling.