Italian officials found guilty over deadly bridge collapse
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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.
I'm Andrew Peach, and at 15 Hours GMT on Thursday 16th July, these are our main stories. The former head of Italian roads is jailed for 12 years for a deadly bridge collapse that killed 43 people. Pakistan urges the US and Iran to stop attacks and start talking again. And protests in Ukraine against the surprise removal of the defence minister. Also in this podcast... The healing music helping the children in the ruins of Gaza. Giovanni Castellucci is sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. Michele Donferi-Mitelli, a sentence of 11 years imprisonment. Maurizio Ceneri and Emanuele De Angelis to a sentence of 10 years imprisonment. That was the moment a judge sentenced several executives and engineers for their role in one of the country's most devastating modern infrastructure disasters eight years ago.
More than 30 people, including the former head of motorway operator Autostrada, were found guilty following the collapse of Genoa's Morandi Bridge. The tragedy killed 43 people, including several children. Ahead of the sentencing, Egle Pezzetti, the head of the Victims Memorial Committee, revealed what a guilty verdict would mean to those who lost their lives and their families.
We believe these convictions will bring a sense of accountability to how things are managed, more justice and more safety. We believe that failing to secure convictions would represent a major failure, particularly for future preventative measures.
Our reporter in Rome, Davide Ghiglione, explained the significance of today's verdict. The most important decision today is the 12-year sentence for the former CEO of Atlantis, Giovanni Castellucci. who's identified as the main responsible for what happened. Obviously, we know that it was a very lengthy trial. It took 284 hearings before reaching this verdict, which is very important for the families of the victim because they were left almost in a limbo for the last few years because, on the one hand, you had the prosecutor saying that happened due to the lack of proper maintenance procedures But the lawyers will also say, no, that's not true. It's no one's fault. It's just a tragedy, essentially, to simplify that, because obviously there were a lot of technical details.
There was like a damaged cable, which was, according to the lawyers, impossible to see because it was covered in concrete. So there are a lot of technical details. But the important thing is that... This verdict is finally giving the families some sort of hope and some sort of peace. I was talking to some of the relatives the last couple of days. They were feeling really, really anxious before the verdict was read this morning by the three judges. And this afternoon, they were relieved. The sister of one of the victims actually messaged me on WhatsApp saying that she was feeling much better now. OK. And what's been said publicly since we heard the verdict in the last couple of hours? There will still be a press conference much later today.
The families will be talking shortly. The new CEO of the company in charge of the bridge actually apologised yesterday for the first time to the families of the victims. Now, there will be the appeal, almost certainly, but this is a very important indication on what the three judges were thinking. Davide, what's it been like covering this huge story today when you were very much at the centre of the events in question yourself years ago? It's always difficult for journalists to cover natural disasters, war zones, and it always has an impact on you. But this time... Because I was on holiday, I was visiting my parents and it's very much part of my background, that city, that bridge, which I used to take to go to the beach with my parents when I was little.
And it was such a busy day as well because it was ahead of a public holiday. I could have been hit. So a few cars for me were actually smashed by huge blocks of concrete falling down.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–6:09
2
Who was convicted over the 2018 Morandi bridge collapse and what sentences were handed down?
6:09–11:29
3
How did victims’ families and officials react to the Genoa bridge verdict?
11:29–15:34
4
What evidence and trial details explain why executives were held responsible?
15:34–28:27
5
How are US strikes on Iran affecting people inside Iran and could talks follow?
28:27–28:32
Speakers
6 identifiedMore from Global News Podcast
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