Two major train accidents in one year; Spanish minister announces resignation

BanglaPress Desk: Spain’s Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has resigned. He made this decision six days after a horrific train accident near the town of Urda, south of the capital, Madrid. The accident claimed 69 lives and left many others injured. The tragedy occurred last Wednesday when a high-speed train in motion collided with the rear of a stationary train, according to Reuters.
Puente announced his resignation following an extensive hearing in Congress. He stated that, given two fatal rail accidents in Spain within less than a year, it was no longer tenable for him to continue as Minister of Transport. He also referenced another accident that took place on the same rail line last January, which resulted in 46 deaths.
The recent accident is considered one of the most catastrophic rail disasters in modern European history and the deadliest train accident in Spain since 2013.
Puente’s resignation comes amid intense pressure from the opposition and demands from some of the government’s own allies. The conservative People’s Party (PP) and the far-right party Vox had both called for his resignation. Critics argue that the minister attempted to mask his own failures by attributing the disaster to human error. Observers believe this resignation deals a significant blow to the Socialist-led government ahead of the snap general election scheduled for November 29.
BP/KJ