Key facts
- Fátima Báñez, former Spanish employment minister, died in a train crash.
- At least 69 people were killed in the collision.
- The crash occurred near Toledo, Spain.
- Báñez chaired the foundation of Spain's main employers' association, CEOE.
Fátima Báñez, Spain's former employment minister from 2011 to 2018, was confirmed Thursday to be among at least 69 victims of a deadly train collision that occurred Wednesday near Toledo. The CEOE, Spain's main employers' association, announced her death, noting her significant contributions to the organization. Báñez played a key role in Spain's response to the eurozone crisis and oversaw a controversial 2012 labor-market reform. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared three days of national mourning, calling the incident unacceptable and vowing a thorough investigation into potential negligence or system failures. Transport Minister Óscar Puente indicated that an official at the national railway control center may have inadvertently caused the crash by instructing a train to proceed on a track where another had stalled.