Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente has resigned from his post, six days after a high-speed train collision near Urda resulted in at least 69 deaths and dozens of injuries. The disaster, which occurred when a Renfe train slammed into a stationary Iryo train, stands as one of the deadliest rail accidents in modern European history.
Puente’s departure follows intense pressure from opposition parties, including the People's Party and Vox, who demanded accountability for a rail system that has seen two major fatal accidents in under a year, including a January crash that killed 46 people.
The tragedy has severely damaged the credibility of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist-led government just weeks before early general elections.
Leaked audio recordings suggest a catastrophic failure in the control center, where operators reportedly cleared the Renfe train to proceed at normal speed despite being informed that the Iryo train was stationary on the tracks due to technical issues.
While Puente claimed his resignation was a matter of political dignity, the incident highlights deep-seated failures in the state-run rail infrastructure that have left the public questioning the safety and competence of the current administration.
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