The Former CEO Of Italy’s Highway Operator Has Been Sentenced Over The 2018 Genoa Bridge Disaster That Killed 43 People.

The former CEO of Italy’s highway operator has been sentenced over the 2018 Genoa bridge disaster that killed 43 people. Giovanni Castellucci, who led Autostrade per l’Italia at the time of the collapse, was sentenced by a Genoa court to 12 years in prison. He was among dozens of defendants prosecuted over the collapse of the Ponte Morandi on August 14, 2018. The bridge gave way during a storm, sending vehicles and sections of the structure crashing to the ground and killing 43 people. Prosecutors argued that years of inadequate maintenance, missed warnings, and management failures contributed to the disaster. Defense lawyers argued that the collapse was caused by an underlying design defect rather than criminal negligence by executives. The first-instance verdict convicted 32 of the 57 defendants who went on trial, with other former managers and officials receiving prison terms of varying lengths. Some defendants were acquitted or cleared of certain charges. Castellucci’s lawyers said they intend to appeal.

The case became a major symbol in Italy of questions over infrastructure safety, corporate responsibility, and oversight of privately operated public assets.