Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente has resigned after weeks of pressure over Spain’s worst rail disasters in years, and withdrawn from the Nov 29 election

MADRID: Spain’s transport minister handed in his resignation on Tuesday following a train crash that killed 69 people, one of the worst railway disasters in Europe this century and a blow for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez ahead of a snap poll this month.

Oscar Puente, who had earlier pledged to work “tirelessly” to restore confidence in the world’s second-largest high-speed rail network, also said he was withdrawing from the November 29 general election.

Last week’s crash, along with another disaster earlier this year, have overshadowed campaigning for the ballot, in which Sanchez is trailing in opinion polls.