Families of 43 victims await verdict in Genoa bridge disaster
Nearly eight years after the Morandi bridge collapse in Genoa killed 43 people, a first-instance verdict is expected on Thursday. Relatives hope for clear accountability.
Background
On the morning of 14 August 2018, 47-year-old Claudia Possetti, her new husband Andrea, and her two children aged 12 and 16 were driving to the Italian Riviera for a holiday. They were on the Morandi bridge in the northern city of Genoa when it collapsed, sending their car and others plunging onto railway tracks below. All four were among 43 people killed in one of Italy's worst infrastructure disasters in decades.
Awaiting the Verdict
Nearly eight years on, relatives will gather in a Genoa courtroom on Thursday to hear a first-instance verdict in the trial over the collapse. Egle Possetti, Claudia's sister, who also represents the victims' families committee, told the BBC: "I feel anxious, worried, very emotional. 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." She noted that lawyers had long claimed the disaster was just an accident, and families hope the verdict will provide a sense of justice.
Company Apology
On the eve of the verdict, Autostrade per l'Italia issued its first apology over the disaster, in an open letter from chief executive Arrigo Giana published in two Italian newspapers. Giana, who took over last year, wrote that he had long wondered why the company never apologised at the time, calling it a "further, incomprehensible wound" for a community already in shock. He said the current company operates under different ownership and management, and that making amends now, even if it cannot undo the families' pain, was a moral duty. Aspi and Spea are no longer defendants in the criminal case, having reached a settlement to pay around €30m (£25m) in damages.
The New Bridge
The old viaduct's remains were blown up in early 2019 with two explosions. A new viaduct, designed by Genoa-born architect Renzo Piano, opened just 18 months later, in August 2020. Known as the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge, its sail-like white pillars are meant to evoke the city's maritime history.
The victims' families committee is due to hold a press conference in Genoa on Thursday evening, once the verdict has been delivered.
