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Watch: What to know as Genoa bridge disaster trial ends
A long-running criminal trial over the 2018 collapse of Genoa’s Morandi bridge has ended with 32 people found guilty, including former motorway operator chief executive Giovanni Castellucci. The verdicts mark a significant moment for victims’ families and scrutiny of Italy’s infrastructure oversight after one of the country’s deadliest recent disasters.
Forty-three people died when the motorway bridge collapsed during a rainstorm in August 2018, sending vehicles to the ground below at the height of the holiday season. Castellucci received a 12-year prison sentence and is already serving six years for a separate 2013 road disaster, while former motorway official Michele Donferri Mitelli was sentenced to 11 years.
In short
- Thirty-two people were convicted over Genoa’s 2018 bridge collapse.
- The disaster killed 43 people during a rainstorm.
- Former motorway chief Giovanni Castellucci received 12 years.
Explained simply
In August 2018, the Morandi motorway bridge in Genoa, Italy, collapsed during heavy rain, killing 43 people and sending vehicles to the ground below. The disaster struck during the peak of the summer holiday season and raised urgent questions about the safety of Italy's motorway infrastructure.
The collapse triggered a criminal investigation into those responsible for the bridge's maintenance and oversight. A years-long trial examined whether negligence, poor maintenance or inadequate safety measures contributed to the disaster, with implications for how Italy regulates and inspects its ageing motorway infrastructure.
The bridge was operated by a private motorway company, and executives and officials connected to its operation have faced charges throughout the trial. The case has drawn intense attention from the families of those killed, who have sought accountability for what happened.