Spanish transport minister resigns following train collision that killed 69 people

Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned on November 3, 2026, six days after a deadly train crash near Urda, south of Madrid. Two trains collided on October 28 when one train hit another that had stopped on the same track. Sixty-nine people died and more than 200 were injured. A safety system that should have prevented the crash did not work. Puente announced his resignation while speaking to Congress. He said that two serious accidents on the same line within one year made his position impossible. A crash in January 2026 had already killed 46 people. Opposition parties and unions had demanded he step down. Puente also said he will not stand in the November 29 general election.