Spain’s transport minister resigns after 69 die in second rail crash this year
Óscar Puente resigned as transport minister and withdrew from Spain’s 29 November election, six days after a crash near Urda killed 69 people. He cited two rail disasters in less than a year; January’s collision killed 46. The government has announced safety measures and victim compensation as scrutiny of the Madrid–Seville line intensifies.
Bottom line — Puente’s departure comes less than four weeks before Spain’s 29 November election.
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Reuters reports that investigators estimated the crash impact speed at 160–200 km/h.
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According to Reuters, a signalling failure stopped trains, but Madrid controllers authorised a Renfe train to proceed while an Iryo train remained stationary ahead.
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The Guardian reports that proposed measures include automatic control-centre alerts, a second operator confirming decisions during safety-system failures, and changes to staff breaks and fatigue monitoring.
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Reuters says services on the Madrid–Seville line will be reduced pending a safety review and progress on the delayed ERTMS rollout.
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Puente announced a 40 km/h limit when drivers must spot obstacles after a signal failure, Reuters reports.
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Reuters reports the government plans an AI agent to detect anomalies and monitor conversations between drivers and controllers.
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The Guardian reports that Puente announced €30 million in aid for victims’ families and injured passengers.