New Delhi, Nov. 4 -- He made the announcement at the end of an hourslong appearance before lawmakers about the crash - the second such deadly collision this year involving Spain's extensive high-speed rail network.

"A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year," Puente said.

The Oct. 28 crash took place when a high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks. The chain of events that led to disaster started when the communication system key to the functioning of the security system on the Madrid-Seville line went down. Central controllers in Madrid took over and gave the go-ahead for a state-operated Renfe high-speed train to proceed,...