A second Spanish official has resigned after last week’s rail tragedy in Toledo that killed at least 69 people — following Transport Minister Óscar Puente’s resignation on 3 November, Mediafax reports.

Marco de la Peña, from the leadership of Adif — the body responsible for rail infrastructure, signalling and traffic control — stepped down. Local media first reported the resignation; it is the second departure within 24 hours.

Puente said on resigning: “I cannot remain in office after two accidents of such gravity in less than a year, however different they are and whether or not I have direct responsibility for them,” according to EFE.

The collision between two high-speed trains in Toledo province happened a week ago; dozens were injured. It is Spain’s second deadly high-speed rail incident this year: in January at least 45 people died and 170 were hurt when two trains derailed near Adamuz in the south.

On Wednesday morning the new transport minister, Cuerpo, met De la Peña, Renfe president Álvaro Fernández Heredia and state secretary José Antonio Santano. A day earlier a senior government official had told POLITICO there were no plans to dismiss De la Peña and dismissed rumours of Puente’s resignation.

Source consulted: Spain rail tragedy: after the transport minister, another official resigns — Mediafax.

Image: AVE class 112 train, Toledo (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0).

Sources consulted: Spain rail tragedy: after the transport minister, another official resigns — Mediafax.