Giovanni Castellucci, the former chief executive of Autostrade per l'Italia, Italy's leading motorway operator, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison over his role in the catastrophic collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa in August 2018. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 43 people as cars and lorries plummeted from the elevated structure during a severe rainstorm at the height of the summer holiday season, causing widespread devastation and trauma in one of Italy's major cities.
The verdict follows a lengthy trial involving 57 defendants, with Castellucci receiving a shorter sentence than prosecutors had requested. This latest conviction adds to an existing six-year jail term he is serving for his involvement in a separate road disaster in 2013, highlighting systemic safety failures under his leadership.
Other senior officials from the motorway operator, including Michele Donferri Mitelli, also received lengthy prison sentences – 11 years – as part of the verdict. The trial has been a significant inquiry into the bridge's collapse, which exposed critical maintenance and structural flaws that had long been ignored.
The Morandi bridge was a vital artery for both domestic and international traffic, connecting key areas of Genoa and passing through some of Italy's most scenic regions. Its catastrophic failure sent shockwaves across the country and internationally, prompting renewed calls for robust infrastructure management and safety standards to be implemented in Europe.
The verdicts bring some measure of justice to the families of the 43 victims, who have endured years of waiting for accountability. Emmanuel Diaz, whose brother Henry perished in the disaster, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that it has brought a sense of closure to their ordeal. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of neglected infrastructure and its profound impact on local communities.