Key facts
- Giovanni Castellucci, former CEO of Autostrade per l'Italia, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
- The sentence is related to the 2018 collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, which killed 43 people.
- A total of 32 individuals were convicted in the trial.
- Castellucci was found guilty of complicity in multiple counts of manslaughter through negligence.
- Castellucci's lawyers announced their intention to appeal the verdict.
Giovanni Castellucci, the former chief executive of Italy’s motorway operator Autostrade per l’Italia, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following the 2018 collapse of Genoa's Morandi Bridge, an event that claimed the lives of 43 people. The verdict was delivered by judges in Genoa on Thursday, concluding a trial involving 57 defendants. Castellucci received the highest sentence among the 32 individuals convicted of charges including complicity in multiple counts of manslaughter through negligence.
The collapse, which saw a 50-meter section of the 51-year-old bridge fall during a storm, is considered one of Italy's worst modern tragedies. Prosecutors argued that years of neglected maintenance and ignored safety warnings contributed to the disaster, while the defense contended that a flaw in the original design was the cause. Castellucci's lawyers stated their client would appeal, calling the verdict a "defeat for the truth."
Relatives of the victims were present in the packed courtroom, with some embracing and weeping upon hearing the verdicts. Egle Possetti, a spokesperson for the victims, expressed the need to understand the ruling fully due to the large number of defendants. The disaster also led to political upheaval, resulting in the Benetton family relinquishing control of Autostrade. The collapsed bridge has been replaced by the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge, designed by architect Renzo Piano.