Spain’s rail crisis deepened after a Renfe train slammed into a stationary Iryo train on the Madrid-Seville line, claiming 69 lives. The fatal accident compounded public fury over an earlier January collision on the same corridor that killed 46 people. Before vacating his post at a parliamentary hearing, Óscar Puente unveiled a €30m support package for victims and proposed mandated second operators when automated systems fail. Meanwhile, the train drivers' union Semaf has organized walkouts to protest unsafe operating conditions.
Key points
Growing scrutiny over lagging rail maintenance and degraded systems intensified following…: Growing scrutiny over lagging rail maintenance and degraded systems intensified following two mass-casualty crashes on the Madrid-Seville line this year.
The government unveiled a €30m aid fund dedicated to supporting the crash survivors and f…: The government unveiled a €30m aid fund dedicated to supporting the crash survivors and families of the deceased victims.
Proposed rail overhauls include artificial intelligence anomaly detection, reformed staff…: Proposed rail overhauls include artificial intelligence anomaly detection, reformed staff fatigue tracking, and mandatory dual-operator verification during safety system failures.
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Spain’s transport minister handed in his resignation on Tuesday after the train crash that killed 69 people last week, one of the worst railway disasters in Europe this century.
Óscar Puente, who had earlier pledged to work “tirelessly” to restore confidence in the world’s second-largest high-speed rail network, also said he was withdrawing from the country’s upcoming general election.
Last week’s crash, and another disaster earlier this year, have overshadowed campaigning for the 29 November ballot, in which the Socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, is trailing in opinion polls.
Puente had ruled out resigning on several occasions since the disaster.
But at the end of a lengthy hearing before lawmakers, he said: “I wish to inform you that I am not only stepping down from my position as minister of transport, but that I am also withdrawing my name from the lists for the early legislative elections on 29 November.”
Hours earlier, at a press conference during which he presented measures to improve safety, the minister had said the government would “work tirelessly to achieve and regain the public’s trust…
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Oscar Puente has also withdrawn as a candidate from the upcoming November 29 general election following the disaster near Urda, which claimed 69 lives. The move follows fierce backlash from right-wing lawmakers and labour unions after he appeared to blame a single control centre operator. The tragedy adds severe political pressure to an ongoing crisis over safety, maintenance, and working conditions on the liberalised rail network.