Former Atlantia CEO sentenced to 12 years over deadly Genoa bridge collapse

Giovanni Castellucci, the former CEO of Italian highway operator Atlantia and Autostrade per l'Italia, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following the deadly 2018 Genoa bridge collapse. An Italian court delivered the verdict on Thursday, July 16, 2026, concluding a four-year trial involving dozens of defendants. The tragedy, which occurred on August 14, 2018, saw a section of the Morandi Bridge give way during a rainstorm, resulting in the deaths of 43 people.

Prosecutors successfully argued that years of maintenance neglect were a primary factor in the disaster, leading to charges of negligent disaster and multiple counts of manslaughter. Castellucci was among 57 individuals on trial, including other former executives, engineers from the maintenance subsidiary SPEA, and former transport ministry officials. The defense maintained that the collapse was due to an original construction defect rather than insufficient upkeep.

The lengthy judicial process aimed to establish accountability for the widespread failures in maintaining Italy's vital infrastructure. The sentencing marks a significant development in the aftermath of a catastrophe that shocked the nation and highlighted critical issues within its public works management.