Giovanni Castellucci, the former chief executive of Italy's largest motorway operator, Autostrade per l'Italia (Aspi), has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by an Italian court. The conviction stems from the 2018 collapse of Genoa's Morandi Bridge, a tragic event that resulted in 43 fatalities and is considered one of Italy's deadliest infrastructure failures.
Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence of 18 years and six months for Castellucci, who is already serving a six-year sentence for the Avellino coach crash. The court ultimately convicted 32 individuals, with sentences ranging from just under two years to the 12-year term for Castellucci. Some defendants were acquitted, while lesser charges expired under the statute of limitations.
Among those convicted were Michele Donferri Mitelli, Aspi's former head of maintenance, who received 11 years, and Antonino Galatà, the former CEO of the SPEA engineering company, who was sentenced to five years and six months. The defendants faced charges including negligence leading to the collapse and manslaughter, linked to alleged failures in maintaining the bridge, which was a vital route connecting northern Italy with the French Riviera.
Egle Possetti, who leads a committee representing the victims' families, expressed her determination for justice. "I lost my sister, her two children, my brother-in-law and even their little dog. That’s where my determination comes from — to make sure they receive justice and that their deaths were not in vain," she told reporters. Possetti also emphasized the need for responsibility to extend beyond top executives, stating, "I think it is important that responsibility extends beyond those at the top. Autostrade, SPEA and the Transport Ministry all had roles to play. I hope the state’s responsibility also emerges clearly."
However, Guido Carlo Alleva, the lawyer representing Castellucci, strongly disagreed with the verdict, calling it "wrong." He argued, "They have sought a culprit rather than establishing responsibility. Castellucci has been convicted despite having done nothing wrong. His only 'fault' is that he is innocent." Alleva announced plans to appeal, stating, "I believe this is a profoundly wrong ruling. We will appeal."
The Morandi Bridge, also known as the Polcevera viaduct, collapsed at 11:36 a.m. on August 14, 2018, during a severe storm. Cars and trucks fell hundreds of feet to the ground, killing 43 people and displacing 566 residents. Prosecutors contended that the collapse was a result of Aspi's management prioritizing cost-cutting on maintenance over safety, coupled with inadequate oversight from the Ministry of Infrastructure.
The defense, however, argued that the collapse was due to an undetectable structural defect in the bridge's stay cables, which ultimately led to corrosion and the failure of pier 9. The trial, which commenced on July 7, 2022, involved extensive proceedings, including testimony from 282 witnesses, over 24,000 pages of transcripts, and numerous other documents.
In response to the verdict, the current CEO of Autostrade, Arrigo Giana, issued a public apology. "The actions and decisions of some people left indelible scars,’’ Giana stated in an open letter published in Italian newspapers. "Offering today the apology that was not made then is, for us, a moral imperative that goes beyond establishing legal responsibility and the course of justice toward the truth."
