Spanish transport minister says to step down after two serious high-speed train tragedies this year

MADRID -- Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente announced his resignation on Tuesday after two serious high-speed train tragedies in less than one year, including last week's crash in Urda, Toledo province, which killed 69 people and injured dozens of others, according to Spanish public broadcaster RTVE.

Puente announced the decision to Permanent Deputation of Spain's Congress of Deputies, where he had been answering questions about the Oct 28 accident, RTVE reported.

Puente said a minister should not remain in office after two accidents of such severity in less than a year, regardless of their differences or whether he bore direct responsibility.

Puente said he had decided to resign shortly after the Urda tragedy but had delayed the announcement until he had addressed the urgent task of ensuring railway safety in the short term. He added he would no longer head the Socialist Workers' Party's (PSOE) candidate list for Valladolid in the general election on Nov 29.

The Toledo crash came just over nine months after a railway accident in Adamuz in southern Spain which killed 46 people in January. The two disasters along the same high-speed corridor have intensified scrutiny of Spain's railway safety and management.