Italian court sentences 32 over Genoa bridge collapse

An Italian court on Tuesday handed down sentences to 32 defendants for their involvement in the 2018 collapse of Genoa’s Morandi Bridge, a disaster that claimed 43 lives and caused widespread damage to the A10 motorway. The trial, the longest and most extensive in the country’s recent legal history, concluded with former Autostrade chief executive Giovanni Castellucci found guilty of vehicular homicide and negligence and sentenced to twelve years in prison.

In addition to Castellucci, the court convicted the former head of engineering firm Spea, which oversaw the bridge’s renovation, and several senior officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for dereliction of duty. Prosecutors presented evidence that cost‑cutting measures, inadequate maintenance and the use of substandard materials contributed to the structural failure, leading the judges to impose a range of prison terms and fines on the accused. The verdict reflects the court’s assessment that the defendants’ actions directly facilitated the collapse that shocked Italy and prompted a national debate on infrastructure safety.

The sentences mark a decisive step toward accountability for one of Italy’s deadliest peacetime tragedies and signal heightened scrutiny of public‑private partnerships in large‑scale construction projects. Authorities indicated that the rulings will inform future regulatory reforms aimed at preventing similar catastrophes, while families of the victims welcomed the court’s decision as a measure of justice after eight years of legal proceedings.