6 years have passed since the Morandi Bridge disaster, Genoa remembers those who lost their lives that day. The trial is adjourned to September, 170 hearings held
August 14, 2024
Six years ago, at 11:36, the Morandi Bridge collapsed. A tragic event that deeply affected Italy, especially Genoa: August 14 is a date we will never forget. For those 43 victims, for the displaced, for two destroyed neighborhoods but also because the Morandi Bridge disaster definitively exposed the problem of maintenance of Italian infrastructures.
September 11 is the date set for the resumption of the maxi-trial with the conclusion of the cross-examinations of the consultants of Aspi and Spea. There are 58 defendants. From the first hearing on July 7, 2022 to the last one set for July 16, 2024, 170 hearings have been held. 324 people were heard, including witnesses, technical consultants and defendants, and the transcripts of the hearings have reached 16,069 pages.
Today Genoa remembers the victims
The ceremony began at 9 am with a mass in the parish church of San Bartolomeo della Certosa, celebrated by the Archbishop of Genoa, Monsignor Marco Tasca.
Around 11 a.m., a ceremony was held in memory of the victims of the collapse, in the presence of the mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci, the imam Salah Hussein, the prefect of Genoa Cinzia Torraco, the interim governor of the Liguria Region Alessandro Piana and the deputy minister of Infrastructure and Transport Edoardo Rixi, representing the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. At the entrance to the clearing, where a metal plate with the names of all the victims was placed, wreaths were laid by the President of the Republic, the Presidency of the Senate, the Council of Ministers and the relatives of the victims.
Before the speeches by the authorities, the orchestra of the Teatro Carlo Felice performed the “Requiescant in pace” for three instruments, with Guido Ghetti on the oboe, Giovanni Battista Fabris on the violin and Riccardo Agosti on the cello, all musicians of the Carlo Felice.
At 11.36, exactly six years after the collapse of the portion of the viaduct, a minute of silence was observed, accompanied by the sound of the sirens of the ships in port and the bells of all the churches in the diocese.
Sergio Mattarella: “Definitively ascertain responsibilities on the Bridge”
“I would like to join in the commemoration of the victims of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa. The images of that dramatic event belong to the collective memory of the Republic and recall the shared responsibility of ensuring freedom of movement and the absence of risks for all users, protecting the country’s infrastructure heritage. Responsibilities must be definitively ascertained and I hope that the work of the competent authorities will be carried out with the effectiveness and promptness necessary for any sense of justice: the timely process of reconstruction of the connection via the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge does not, in fact, constitute an extenuating circumstance for what happened”. This is what the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, wrote in a message to the Mayor of Genoa.
Ignazio La Russa: “An open wound but also an example of resilience”
“On the sixth anniversary of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge, I renew with deep respect and sympathy, my personal condolences and those of the Senate of the Republic, for the 43 victims and their families. The wounds of that disaster are still open, just as the images of a city, Genoa, broken in two and that sense of disbelief and anger that we all felt in those dramatic moments will forever be engraved in our memory”. The President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa wrote on social media.
“This day in which we renew our grief for the fallen – he continues – also represents an important opportunity to reflect on the exceptional example of resilience and commitment that led to the rapid reconstruction of the new Ponte San Giorgio. A significant sign of redemption for the entire national community. An achievement that is the result of the extraordinary cohesion of all the institutions involved, starting with the Municipality of Genoa and the Liguria Region, of the commitment of civil society, businesses, workers and the extraordinary will of a land that has always shown it can overcome difficulties and adversities. The synergy between public and private – he underlines – has offered a model of efficiency and determination. Finally, in memory of this painful day, we renew the invitation to keep attention high on environmental and infrastructural risks, investing in safety and maintenance to avoid future tragedies. The memory of that day guides us in our mission to build a safer and more sustainable future for future generations”, concludes La Russa.
Elisabetta Casellati: “A tragedy that marked the entire country”
“Today we remember with deep sadness the victims of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, a tragedy that cost the lives of 43 people and affected the entire country. The images and the pain of that August 14, 2018 are imprinted in our memory, as is the extraordinary reaction of the Genoese and of a city that was able to reborn stronger and more determined than before”. This was stated by the Minister for Institutional Reforms Elisabetta Casellati.
Matteo Salvini: “Italy can be reborn in the name of Yes”
“Six years ago, Italy stopped in front of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge, a tragedy that counted 43 victims (to whom our thoughts go), hundreds of displaced people and a lot of anger for a situation that could have been avoided. Thanks also to the moving ability of the Genoese people to react, that tragedy managed to unite a city, a region and an entire country that, overcoming obstacles, bureaucracy and slowness, led to the construction in record time of a new Bridge, which has become an engineering model in the world. This extraordinary infrastructural work demonstrates even today that, if everyone is willing to do their part, Italy has all the necessary means to be reborn in the name of development, work and Yes: this is the commitment we are carrying forward”. This is what the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini, said in his Instagram comment on the anniversary of the collapse on 14 August 2018
