Spanish transport minister resigns after train crash that killed 69

Spain's Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned six days after a high-speed train collision killed at least 69 people and injured dozens near the town of Urda, south of Madrid, BBC reported.

The crash involved a train smashing into the back of a stationary train and was one of Europe's worst rail disasters this century, according to The Guardian.

Puente announced his resignation during a congressional session where he outlined new rail safety measures and faced opposition scrutiny, as reported by BBC.

He cited the severity of two accidents in less than a year on the same line, including a January crash that killed 46 people, as reasons for stepping down, BBC noted.

In addition to resigning as minister, Puente also withdrew his candidacy from the upcoming general election, The Guardian stated.