Spain’s transport minister resigns after fatal Urda rail crash

Spain’s transport minister, Óscar Puente, has resigned six days after a high-speed train collision near Urda in Toledo province killed 69 people. Puente said a transport minister could not remain after two rail disasters of such severity in less than a year. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accepted the resignation on Wednesday, weeks before Spain’s 29 November election.

The collision’s cause remains under investigation. Puente’s political responsibility and resignation do not establish technical or criminal responsibility for the crash. The Associated Press and Reuters said investigators are examining the railway’s signalling and operating sequence. Spain’s earlier official account that one train was authorised to proceed after a safety-system failure remains preliminary rather than a final finding.

The government approved an initial aid package worth about €30 million for victims and affected communities. It also reduced services on the Madrid–Seville line while inspections continue and announced tighter operating controls when a signal failure requires drivers to proceed by sight. The measures may reduce immediate risk, but the decisive evidence will come from the independent investigation and published safety findings.