In brief
In a landmark ruling, former chief executive of Italy’s motorway operator Giovanni Castellucci received a 12‑year prison term for his role in the August 2018 collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa. The verdict marks the first stage of legal accountability, as 57 defendants were tried for failures ranging from maintenance delays to design flaws. Victims’ families welcomed the sentences, though the verdict will face appeals. The court highlighted ignored safety warnings amid continuing debates on infrastructure governance.
The former chief executive of the motorway operator Autostrade per l’Italia, Giovanni Castellucci, has been handed a 12‑year prison sentence for his participation in the August 2018 collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa, which claimed 43 lives. The verdict, delivered by Judge Paolo Lepri on Thursday, follows nearly a decade of investigations and a trial that involved 57 defendants.
The collapse occurred during a heavy thunderstorm and at the peak of the holiday season, plunging cars and lorries to the ground below. Prosecutors had previously sought a combined 400 years in jail for the accused, citing manslaughter and negligence in maintaining the viaduct. Castellucci’s sentence was lower than the 12‑year term requested by prosecutors, yet it represents a serious judicial response to years of ignored maintenance failures.
Other key figures on trial include former Aspi chief executive Paolo Berti, who received five and a half years, and former motorway directorate head Mauro Coletta, who was given five years. The court also found 32 defendants guilty on Thursday, while 25 were either acquitted or had crimes barred by a statute of limitations.
Supporters of the families involved welcomed the sentences, with relatives describing them as a step toward justice. “It is a first stage that opens up a ray of light,” said Egle Possetti, head of the victims’ memorial committee. “Finally, a moment that the state owes the families.”
The new San Giorgio bridge, designed by Renzo Piano, was inaugurated in 2019 to replace the collapsed viaduct. It features sail‑like pillars that echo Genoa’s maritime heritage and has become a symbol of resilience.
