Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente has resigned, six days after a high-speed train collision near the town of Urda killed at least 69 people and injured dozens. He announced the decision in Congress on Tuesday evening, saying a minister could not remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year.
Puente made the announcement at the end of a congressional session in which he had outlined new rail safety measures and been questioned by opposition lawmakers. He said he had taken the decision immediately after the disaster on 28 October.
"A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year," he told Congress, referring also to a deadly crash in January in Andalusia, southern Spain.
The Urda collision happened when a state-operated Renfe high-speed train smashed into the back of a stationary train operated by the Iryo company. Rescuers had to use heavy lifting equipment to reach derailed carriages where a number of passengers were trapped.
Puente had been under mounting pressure, with opposition parties and some allies of the government calling on him to step down. Soon after the crash, Spanish media published leaked audio recordings of conversations between train drivers and a control centre minutes before the disaster. Three tapes between Madrid's control centre and two train drivers appear to show that one high-speed train was given clearance to move even though another train had stopped on the track, about 25km ahead.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said that authorities will "get to the bottom of every last detail of this tragedy".
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The resignation removes Spain's most senior transport official while investigations into the crash and its causes are still underway.
- The leaked control-centre recordings raise questions about how high-speed rail movements are coordinated and about safety on one of the world's busiest high-speed rail networks.
- The government must now appoint a successor and respond to public concern before the investigation concludes.
Background
Spain's high-speed rail network is among the largest in the world, and Renfe has long been its main state-owned operator. The Urda collision was the second deadly rail accident in Spain in less than a year, after a crash in Andalusia in January. The government has promised to investigate the latest disaster fully.
Key Perspectives
Óscar Puente: said a transport minister in Spain could not remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year, and that he had taken the decision to resign immediately after the 28 October disaster.
Opposition parties and some government allies: had called on Puente to step down.
Pedro Sánchez: said authorities would "get to the bottom of every last detail of this tragedy".
What to Watch
- Who is appointed to replace Puente and whether the new rail safety measures he outlined remain in place.
- What the leaked control-centre recordings show about who authorised the train's movement.
- Whether the January Andalusia crash and the Urda collision are found to have common causes.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedÓscar Puente resigned as Spain’s transport minister after a deadly high-speed train crash.BBC News: “Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente has resigned - six days after the high-speed train collision in which at least 69 people were killed and dozens injured.”
- SupportedThe Urda crash killed at least 69 people and injured dozens.BBC News: “the high-speed train collision in which at least 69 people were killed and dozens injured.”
- SupportedPuente said he could not remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year.BBC News: “"A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year," he said”
- SupportedThe Urda crash was the second serious rail accident in less than a year.BBC News: “"A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year," he said, also referring to a deadly crash in January in Andalusia, southern Spain”
- SupportedPuente announced his resignation in Congress on Tuesday evening.BBC News: “Puente announced his decision at the end of a congressional session on Tuesday evening”
- SupportedHe said he had made the decision immediately after the 28 October disaster.BBC News: “He said he had taken the decision immediately after the 28 October disaster.”
- SupportedThe Urda crash involved a state-operated Renfe high-speed train hitting the back of a stationary Iryo train.BBC News: “The latest tragedy in Urda happened when a state-operated Renfe high-speed train smashed into the back of another stationary train operated by the Iryo company.”
- SupportedRescuers used heavy lifting equipment to reach derailed carriages where passengers were trapped.BBC News: “Rescuers had to use heavy lifting equipment to get access to derailed carriages where a number of passengers were trapped”
- SupportedOpposition parties and some government allies had called on Puente to step down.BBC News: “Puente had been under mounting pressure as opposition parties and some allies of the government called on him to step down.”
- SupportedThree tapes appear to show a high-speed train was cleared to move although another train had stopped about 25km ahead.BBC News: “Three tapes between Madrid's control centre and two train drivers appear to show that one high-speed train was given clearance to move even though another train had stopped on the track, about 25km (15 miles) ahead.”
- SupportedPrime Minister Pedro Sánchez said authorities would “get to the bottom of every last detail of this tragedy”.BBC News: “Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said that authorities will "get to the bottom of every last detail of this tragedy".”