Italian media say more people have been found dead amid debris from a collapsed bridge as Italy holds a national day of mourning. But some families of victims are not taking part in ceremonies out of anger.
Image: Reuters/S. Rellandini
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Italy on Saturday held a national day of mourning and a state funeral to commemorate the dozens of people killed when a motorway bridge collapsed in the northern port city of Genoa.
The official ceremony came as the ANSA news agency reported that a family of three, including a 9-year-old girl, had been found under rubble, bringing the death toll from the disaster to 41.
The fire department has so far only confirmed the recovery of the "completely crushed" car they were traveling in.
Two other people are reported to be still missing.
Public fury
La Stampa newspaper has reported that the families of 17 victims have refused to take part in official commemorations while seven others have not yet decided whether to attend amid continued public outrage at perceived failures by authorities.
"It is the state that has provoked this. They shouldn't show their faces; this parade of politicians is shameful," the paper quoted the mother of one victim as saying.
President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attended the state funeral service in Genoa, along with other dignitaries. Mattarella spoke briefly with each group of families before the service got underway.
Genoa's archbishop, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, held a short homily in which he called on citizens to show solidarity.
"We can build new bridges to walk together," he said.
Players from the city's two football teams, Genoa and Sampdoria, were also at the service after their matches were cancelled as a sign of respect.
Dozens of cars plunged onto railway lines below as the bridge collapsedImage: Getty Images/AFP/M. Bertorello
The company denies the charges, saying it had put more than €1 billion ($1.14 billion) into maintenance since 2012. It says it will be holding a press conference on Saturday to announce its plans for victims and the city.
The Morandi viaduct, which dates from the 1960s, has experienced a string of structural problems over the decades, with engineering experts severely criticizing the structure.
The collapse is thought to have possibly been caused by the failure of one of the stay cables supporting the deck of the bridge, according to one engineer investigating the disaster.
The Italian port city of Genoa has begun demolishing the Morandi Bridge after its collapse last August, which killed 43 people and injured dozens more. DW takes a look at the disaster and its aftermath.
Image: Reuters/S. Rellandini
Demolition begins
Experts have begun dismantling the remains of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, six months after its collapse. A 40-meter section of the motorway flyover was due to be cut, lowered and destroyed – an important step with "high symbolic value" for the town, according to Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci.
Image: Reuters/S. Rellandini
Cars plunged into void
The 80-meter section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed on August 14 amid torrential downpours and violent storms. At least 35 cars and heavy vehicles are believed to have been on the section when it caved in, causing them to plunge some 45 meters.
Image: Reuters/Str
Rescuers toiled through the night
Rescue workers scoured the wreckage through the night in hopes of finding more survivors. Alongside firefighters and emergency services, some 1,000 locals volunteered to help with the rescue efforts.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/V. Hache
900-ton concrete slab
Thousands of tonnes of steel, concrete and asphalt have already been removed to prepare for the demolition, but the eight-hour operation on Friday will see a 900-ton slab cut and destroyed. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninello have traveled to Genoa to oversee the beginning of the operation.
Image: Reuters/M. Pinca
Renzo Piano replacement
Italy's most famous living architect Renzo Piano, a Genoa native widely known for the Pompidou Center in Paris, has designed the replacement bridge. It will feature 43 streetlamps in memory of the 43 killed in the collapse. At €202 million ($229 million), the bridge will be one of the most expensive in Europe. It is scheduled to open to traffic by April 2020.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Leoni
'Immense tragedy'
The bridge collapse killed 43 people and injured dozens more. Italy's transport minister Danilo Toninelli described the incident as an "immense tragedy." International leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and France's Emmanuel Macron, paid tribute to the victims.
Image: Reuters/S. Rellandini
Children among those killed
The morning after the collapse, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said that three children – aged 8, 12 and 13 — were among those killed.
Image: Reuters/Str
Italy's busy motorway viaduct
The bridge over the northwestern port city was one of Italy's main viaducts, connecting the A10 motorway towards France and the A7 up to Milan. The incident also took place on the eve of Ferragosto, a major Italian holiday, meaning there was likely more traffic than usual.
Tragedy sparks political fallout
Italy's Giuseppe Conte interrupted his holiday to visit the scene of the collapse. While Conte reserved his words to praise the rescue workers, his ministers started pointing fingers. Transport Minister Toninelli said the company managing Italy's highways would have its contract revoked. However, his 5Star Movement party has been criticized for downplaying the need for infrastructure investments.
Image: Reuters/M. Pinca
Cause of collapse still unknown
While the precise reason behind the disaster is still unknown, investigators believe it could have been caused by lightning, an engineering failure or corrosion. Prosecutors have place 20 people under investigation, as well as the privately-owned highway operator Autostrade per l'Italia. The bridge had been in use for around 50 years, close to the recommended limit.