Former motorway boss sentenced to 12 years over Genoa bridge collapse

An Italian court has sentenced Giovanni Castellucci, the former chief executive of Autostrade per l'Italia, to 12 years in prison over the 2018 Morandi Bridge collapse in Genoa. The ruling came in a packed courtroom in the north-western city, where relatives of victims, lawyers, journalists and members of the public gathered to hear the verdicts. The case concerns one of the deadliest infrastructure disasters in modern Italian history, in which 43 people were killed.

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Castellucci received the longest sentence in the case and was convicted of complicity in multiple counts of manslaughter through negligence. In total, 32 people were convicted and given sentences ranging from one year and 11 months to 12 years. The trial involved 56 defendants, with some found not guilty and others benefiting from expired charges under the statute of limitations.

Castellucci's lawyers said he would appeal and argued that, as chief executive, he had relied on Italy's leading engineers. The collapse happened when a 50-metre section of the bridge gave way during a summer storm, sending vehicles plunging on to warehouses and a riverbed below. Prosecutors said years of neglected maintenance, ignored warning signs and repeated delays to safety works contributed to the disaster.

They also alleged that essential repairs were postponed while the motorway operator continued to generate and distribute profits. The defence rejected those claims, and all of the defendants denied wrongdoing. The verdict is significant because the Morandi Bridge collapse became a symbol of concern over the safety of ageing infrastructure in Italy.

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It also tested the country's slow justice system, with the trial stretching across years and drawing close attention from victims' families and the wider public. For many relatives, the ruling represents a long-awaited step in a case that has remained central to debates about accountability for public safety failures. The bridge failure shocked Italy in 2018 and prompted scrutiny of how major transport infrastructure was maintained and overseen.

The court's decision now places renewed focus on the responsibilities of motorway operators, engineers and managers in preventing structural failures. It also underlines the scale of the legal response, with dozens of defendants examined in a single case linked to a national tragedy. What remains unclear is how the appeals process will unfold and whether the sentences will be upheld or altered.

The court has already delivered its first-instance ruling, but the legal process is likely to continue. The case will remain closely watched by victims' families, defendants and observers of Italy's infrastructure safety record.

#Genoa #MorandiBridge #GiovanniCastellucci #AutostradeperlItalia #Italy

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