Genoa bridge verdict exposes Italy's aging infrastructure crisis

An Italian court on Thursday convicted 32 defendants, including Giovanni Castellucci, the former chief executive of Autostrade, Italy's main motorway operator, for their roles in the 2018 collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa. Castellucci was sentenced to 12 years in prison for vehicular homicide and negligence, according to the Guardian and France 24. Of 57 defendants tried, 25 were acquitted or cleared. The verdict marks the formal closure of a trial that has cast a long shadow over Italy's approach to maintaining critical infrastructure.

The collapse, which occurred on August 14, 2018, killed 43 people when a section of the motorway bridge crumbled onto railway tracks below. France 24 reported that the conviction brings into focus Italy's broader struggle with aging infrastructure, a theme that has dominated international coverage of the country for years. The Guardian noted that the verdict comes as Italy grapples with questions about oversight, maintenance standards and corporate accountability in managing vital transport networks.