Spanish Transport Minister reiterates failure of high-speed control center and refuses to resign

The Spanish Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, confirmed that a failure in the high-speed train control center likely caused a recent accident resulting in 69 deaths. He stated that the control center was operating normally with 16 controllers present at the time. The incident involved incorrect instructions given to a train driver, leading to a collision at high speed. Puente emphasized that the failure of the LZB control system is relatively common and within European norms. Despite calls for his resignation, he refused to step down, focusing instead on clarifying the situation and finding solutions. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez acknowledged a loss of trust in the high-speed rail system after two significant accidents within a year.