A court in Italy on Thursday convicted Giovanni Castellucci, the former CEO of the country’s primary highway operator, along with 31 others, in connection with the 2018 collapse of a highway bridge in Genoa that resulted in 43 fatalities. The disaster drew widespread attention to significant deficiencies in the maintenance and oversight of Italy’s infrastructure.

The court announced verdicts against 57 defendants, including former executives and officials responsible for the management and upkeep of the Morandi Bridge, which gave way, causing vehicles to plummet. The courtroom was filled with family members of the victims, who had gathered to witness the proceedings. Egle Possetti, a representative of the victims’ families, expressed approval of the decisions handed down by Chief Judge Paolo Lepri.

Castellucci received the longest sentence among those convicted: 12 years in prison. His legal team has indicated plans to appeal the verdict. The case has underscored ongoing concerns about infrastructure safety and regulatory oversight in Italy following the deadly incident.