Genoa bridge collapse: Ex-highway chief sentenced to 12 years

Eight years after the catastrophic collapse of Genoa's Morandi Bridge, a court has delivered its verdict, sentencing former Autostrade per l'Italia CEO Giovanni Castellucci to 12 years in prison. The 2018 disaster claimed the lives of 43 people and left approximately 600 residents homeless.

Expert investigations revealed that the bridge suffered from inadequate maintenance and severe damage. Prosecutors accused Castellucci, who led the highway company for years, of being aware of the defects as early as 2009. They portrayed him as an autocrat who ran the company like a "kingdom," prioritizing profit over the safety of critical infrastructure.

Castellucci, who is already serving a six-year sentence for another fatal accident on an ASPI highway in 2013, maintained his innocence, stating, "I feel responsible, but not guilty." His defense argued for an undetectable structural flaw in one of the bridge's pillars. Despite immense public pressure, Castellucci only resigned from his position a year after the bridge's collapse, reportedly receiving a severance package of 13 million euros.

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I feel responsible, but not guilty.