Spain Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned six days after the high-speed train collision in which at least 69 people were killed and dozens injured.

In Congress, he said a transport minister cannot remain in office after two serious accidents in less than a year, in reference to the January crash on the same line that left 46 people dead, and withdrew his name from the lists for the early legislative elections. The crash happened when a train run by state-owned Renfe hit the back of a stationary train run by private operator Iryo, outside the village of Urda, south of Madrid. The failure of an automatic safety system halted all trains on a 39-mile stretch of track, but a control center authorized the Renfe service to resume its journey. Puente announced a 30-million-euro aid package for the families of the dead and the injured.