Image Source: Paolo Rattini/Getty Images

Verdict After Eight Years of Waiting

Nearly eight years after one of Italy’s worst infrastructure disasters, an Italian court has delivered a judgment holding senior officials accountable for the collapse of Genoa’s Morandi Bridge, which killed 43 people.

Giovanni Castellucci, the former chief executive officer of Autostrade per l’Italia (ASPI), the company responsible for operating the bridge at the time of the disaster, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in the tragedy. The conviction followed a four-year trial involving 57 defendants, including former executives, engineers and public officials accused of failing to ensure the safety of the structure.

The verdict marks a significant moment in Italy’s pursuit of accountability after a disaster that triggered national outrage and raised serious questions about infrastructure oversight, corporate responsibility and regulatory failures.

The Collapse That Shook Italy

The tragedy unfolded on August 14, 2018, when a section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa collapsed during a heavy rainstorm, sending vehicles and passengers plunging into the area below.

Forty-three people died in the collapse, while hundreds of residents were displaced after nearby areas were evacuated due to safety concerns. The bridge, which formed part of a major motorway connecting Italy with France, had been managed by ASPI, then controlled by Atlantia, a company linked to the Benetton family.

The disaster quickly became a concern over Italy’s ageing infrastructure and the consequences of inadequate maintenance. Families of victims spent years demanding answers over whether the collapse was a preventable failure rather than an unavoidable accident.

Castellucci Found Guilty of Negligence and Manslaughter

Prosecutors argued that years of maintenance failures, inadequate monitoring and ignored warnings contributed to the bridge’s collapse. They alleged that safety concerns were overlooked despite indications that the structure required urgent attention.

The court convicted Castellucci for offences including negligent collapse and road homicide, handing him the longest sentence among those convicted. Prosecutors had originally sought an 18-year prison term for the former executive.

Castellucci, who did not attend the hearing, has maintained his innocence and is expected to challenge the decision through Italy’s appeals process.

Dozens of Others Also Convicted

Castellucci was not the only individual held responsible. The Genoa court convicted 32 defendants in total, with sentences handed down to former ASPI executives, officials from engineering subsidiary SPEA, and transport ministry officials responsible for oversight.

Among those convicted was Michele Donferri Mitelli, a former ASPI maintenance executive, who received an 11-year sentence. Antonino Galat, former head of SPEA, was sentenced to five years and six months. Several others received lesser sentences, while some defendants were acquitted or avoided conviction due to the expiry of statutory limitation periods.

The convictions represent one of Italy’s most significant attempts to impose criminal responsibility on corporate and public officials following an infrastructure failure.

Corporate Accountability and the Limits of Privatisation

Beyond the criminal proceedings, the collapse ignited a wider political debate over the privatisation of Italy’s motorway network and whether profit considerations had been prioritised over public safety.

Critics argued that the disaster exposed weaknesses in the oversight of privately managed public infrastructure. The controversy eventually contributed to major changes in the ownership structure of Autostrade per l’Italia, with the company later transferred to a state-backed consortium.

Source: CNN