Genoa remembers Morandi bridge collapse five years on

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 14 - The Ligurian city of Genoa on Monday market the fifth anniversary of the collapse of the Morandi road bridge in which 43 people lost their lives.
    The disaster remains an "open wound", said Liguria Governor Giovanni Toti as the names of the victims were published on a big screen in front of the region's headquarters.
    The anniversary of the collapse of the viaduct over the Polcevera river on August 14, 2018, was marked with a memorial ceremony attended by local and national institutional representatives and religious leaders, including Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini.
    "On the fifth anniversary of the collapse, with its tragic loss of human life, the deep wound inflicted on the city of Genoa and on the conscience of all Italians, the Republic renews and strengthens its feelings of closeness and solidarity with the families of the victims and with all those who have seen their lives disrupted by a catastrophe as serious as it is unacceptable," said President Sergio Mattarella in a message.
    "The collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa represented a dramatic reminder of the responsibilities of public service providers, both those on the ground in delivery to users and those responsible for ensuring that the necessary safety conditions are in place," he continued.
    In total, 59 people have been put on trial in relation to the bridge collapse, including the former heads and technical officials of highways company Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI) and its maintenance arm SPEA, former and current transport ministry managers and other civil servants.
    The charges range from culpable failure to comply with one's duty for workplace safety to multiple culpable homicide.
    The prosecution says that many of the defendants knew that the motorway viaduct could collapse but did nothing to prevent this from happening.
    ASPI and SPEA are no longer involved in the criminal trial after a plea bargain to pay damages of around 30 million euros.
    The remains of the Morandi bridge were demolished and another viaduct designed by Genoese architect Renzo Piano opened in August 2020 to take its place. (ANSA).