Genoa Bridge Collapse: Verdict Nears for Families of 43 Victims
Nearly eight years after the Morandi bridge collapse in Genoa, Italy, families of the 43 victims are preparing to hear a first-instance verdict in the trial over the disaster. The court in Genoa is expected to deliver its judgment on Thursday, marking a significant moment in one of Italy's worst infrastructure failures in decades.
On 14 August 2018, a section of the Morandi bridge, a major viaduct in the northern city of Genoa, collapsed during a heavy downpour, sending vehicles plunging onto railway tracks below. Among the victims was Claudia Possetti, 47, who was travelling with her new husband Andrea and her two children, aged 12 and 16. The family had just married and were heading to the Italian Riviera for a holiday. All four were killed.
Claudia's sister, Egle Possetti, will be among the relatives gathering in the courtroom to hear the verdict. "I feel anxious, worried, very emotional," she told the BBC. "After so many years, so many hearings, we may be able to see some light. It would be so important for us to know if someone's been held accountable." The children's father, who survived them, is also expected to attend.
The trial has focused on whether negligence by the bridge's operator, Autostrade per l'Italia, and its parent company Atlantia, as well as failures by government oversight bodies, contributed to the collapse. Prosecutors have argued that the bridge had known structural deficiencies and that maintenance was inadequate. The defendants have denied wrongdoing, with some arguing that the collapse was an unforeseeable event.
The case has drawn widespread attention in Italy, where infrastructure safety has been a major public concern. The bridge's collapse exposed systemic issues in the maintenance and monitoring of ageing structures across the country. In 2020, the Italian government ordered the dismantling of the remaining sections of the bridge and the construction of a new viaduct, which opened in 2021.
Thursday's verdict is not the end of the legal process; either side may appeal. But for the families, it represents a crucial step towards accountability. "We want to know that the loss of our loved ones was not in vain," said another relative. "We need to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again."
The court's decision will be closely followed by victims' families, legal experts, and the public, as they seek closure and justice for the 43 lives lost on that August morning.
