Ex-Italy Highway CEO Gets 12 Years Over 2018 Genoa Bridge Collapse
A court sentenced former Autostrade per l'Italia chief executive Giovanni Castellucci to 12 years in prison on Thursday, July 16, 2026, for negligence and manslaughter over the 2018 Genoa bridge collapse.[1]
Thirty-one of 56 defendants in the trial were convicted, receiving sentences up to 12 years, while 25 were acquitted; all convictions are subject to appeal.[1] Prosecutors said Autostrade per l'Italia neglected critical maintenance, while defense lawyers blamed an inherent design defect in the prestressed-concrete bridge.[1]
On August 14, 2018, a span of the 3,600-foot Morandi Bridge in Genoa failed, killing 43 people as vehicles fell about 150 feet into a ravine.[1] The disaster prompted nationwide inspections and closures of similar infrastructure and led to a Renzo Piano-designed replacement bridge that was inaugurated in 2020.[1]
The verdict represents a major legal reckoning over the collapse but is likely to be followed by appeals that could extend the case for years.
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📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, a court sentenced ex-Autostrade CEO Giovanni Castellucci to 12 years in prison for negligence and manslaughter tied to the 2018 Morandi Bridge collapse.
- The August 14, 2018 failure of the 3,600-foot bridge in Genoa killed 43 people as vehicles fell about 150 feet into a ravine.
- A total of 56 defendants were tried; 31 were convicted with sentences up to 12 years and 25 were acquitted, and all convictions are subject to appeal.
- Prosecutors said Autostrade per l'Italia neglected critical maintenance, while defense lawyers blamed an inherent design defect in the prestressed-concrete bridge.
- The collapse triggered nationwide reviews and closures of similar infrastructure and led to a Renzo Piano-designed replacement bridge inaugurated in 2020.
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