Italian court convicts 32 over deadly Morandi Bridge collapse in Genoa

An Italian court has convicted 32 people, including former motorway chief Giovanni Castellucci, over the 2018 Morandi Bridge collapse in Genoa that killed 43 people. Prosecutors said years of neglected maintenance and ignored safety warnings led to the disaster, bringing long-awaited justice to victims' families.

An Italian court has delivered its long-awaited verdict in the case of the 2018 Morandi Bridge disaster, convicting 32 people over one of the country's deadliest infrastructure failures in modern history.
The ruling concludes nearly four years of court proceedings and marks a significant moment for the families of the 43 people who lost their lives when the bridge suddenly collapsed in the northern city of Genoa.
The convictions include former motorway executives, engineers and government officials accused of failing to prevent a tragedy that investigators said could have been avoided through proper maintenance and timely intervention.

FORMER MOTORWAY CHIEF RECEIVES LONGEST PRISON SENTENCE

The most severe punishment was handed to Giovanni Castellucci, the former Chief Executive Officer of motorway operator Autostrade per l'Italia.
The court sentenced him to 12 years in prison after finding him guilty of vehicular homicide and negligence connected to the collapse.
Castellucci was among several senior officials accused of ignoring repeated warnings about the deteriorating condition of the bridge.
He is already serving a prison sentence in connection with a separate 2013 bus crash in which 40 people were killed after a coach plunged from an overpass.
Several other executives, engineers from Autostrade's engineering subsidiary SPEA and former officials from Italy's Infrastructure and Transport Ministry also received prison terms ranging from 23 months to 12 years.

A BRIDGE COLLAPSE THAT SHOCKED ITALY

The Morandi Bridge collapsed on the morning of August 14, 2018, during heavy rainfall.
A central section measuring about 200 metres suddenly gave way, sending vehicles plunging approximately 45 metres to the ground below.
The disaster occurred during the busy summer holiday season when traffic on the bridge was particularly heavy.
Around 30 vehicles were travelling across the affected section at the time.
Forty-three people lost their lives while 16 others were injured.
The collapse shocked Italy and raised serious questions about the safety of ageing infrastructure across the country.

YEARS OF WARNINGS IGNORED

When the Morandi Bridge opened in 1967, it was regarded as a remarkable engineering achievement designed by renowned Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi.
It served as a vital transport link connecting northern Italy with coastal regions and neighbouring France.
Although reinforcement work was carried out during the 1990s, engineers had repeatedly warned that the structure was ageing and required extensive repairs.
Investigators later discovered that the cable stays supporting one of the bridge's main pillars had severely deteriorated after decades of corrosion affecting both the steel and concrete components.
Prosecutors argued that warning signs had existed for many years but were repeatedly ignored.
They alleged that necessary repair work was postponed despite growing evidence that the bridge posed a serious safety risk.
One prosecutor described the structure as "a ticking time bomb."

FAMILIES WELCOME THE VERDICT

Relatives of the victims were present in court as the verdicts were read.
Many described the judgment as an important step towards justice after years of grief and legal proceedings.
Lawyers representing the victims said the trial demonstrated that those responsible had long been aware of the bridge's structural problems.
Family representatives also expressed hope that the case would encourage greater accountability for public infrastructure maintenance throughout Italy.

A NEW BRIDGE REPLACES A PAINFUL MEMORY

Following the disaster, the damaged bridge was demolished and replaced by a new structure that officially opened in 2020.
The replacement bridge includes a memorial dedicated to the victims whose lives were lost in the collapse.
While the new crossing has restored an important transport route, the Morandi Bridge disaster remains one of Italy's most tragic reminders of the consequences of neglected infrastructure and the importance of rigorous safety oversight.
The court's decision is expected to have lasting implications for infrastructure management, corporate accountability and public safety across Italy.