Sánchez backs Puente after tragic train collision in Urda

31.10.2026 05:25 HotInfo

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez backs Transport Minister Óscar Puente, who refused to resign after Wednesday's collision of two high-speed trains near the village of Urda in the province of Toledo. The accident claimed at least 69 victims, and authorities continue identifying the deceased. NOS ↗

The Institute of Forensic Medicine in Toledo and Ciudad Real has already received the bodies of all 69 victims and performed 48 autopsies. Sánchez stated that the dead include citizens of as many as 27 nationalities. Spanish authorities are also working to clarify the causes of the accident and to provide information to the victims' families. France24 ↗

At a press conference in Madrid, Puente said that despite strong pressure, he has no intention of leaving his post. He claims it is his responsibility to appear before the public and explain the circumstances of the tragedy. The minister also stated that the president of the government did not ask him to resign and continues to support him. El Pais ↗

Sánchez admitted that public trust in high-speed rail had been undermined. He identified investigating the causes of the accident and restoring confidence in rail safety as the government's main tasks. The Guardian ↗

Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused the government of inadequate maintenance and criticized the allegedly outdated safety system. Some of the government's political partners and a trade union association also called for Puente's resignation. However, the minister plans to remain in office and defend the ministry's actions before parliament. El Pais ↗