Spanish transport minister resigns days after deadly train crash

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



He announced his decision in Congress, after giving evidence on last Wednesday's disaster near the town of Urda, south of the capital Madrid, in which a train smashed into the back of a stationary train.



"A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year," he said - a reference to January's crash on the same line which left 46 people dead.



Last week's crash was one of the worst rail disasters in Europe's modern history, and Spain's worst crash since 2013.



Puente announced his decision at the end of a lengthy congressional session on Tuesday evening in which he had outlined new rail safety measures and had been grilled by the opposition. He also said he will be withdrawing his name from any of the lists for the early legislative elections.