Around 30 dead as bridge collapses in Genoa, says Italian minister

Italy’s interior minister Matteo Salvini said Tuesday that “around 30” people had been killed after a motorway bridge collapsed in the northwestern port city of Genoa.

“Unfortunately there are around 30 dead and many injured in a serious condition,” Salvini told reporters in the Sicilian city of Catania.

The 45-year-old, who is also deputy prime minister and the leader of the nationalist League that governs with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, said that he was going to find out who was responsible for the tragedy.

“I have gone over this bridge hundreds of times, and I will do everything I can to have the names of those responsible, past and present. It is unacceptable to die like that in Italy,” he said.

Eurosceptic Salvini also said that Italy needs to make massive investments in its infrastructure, much of which is dilapidated, alluding to supposed potential restrictions from the European Union should his government unleash funds.

A view of the Morandi highway bridge after a section of it collapsed, in Genoa, northern Italy. (AP Photo)

“There is a large part of Italy that needs to be made secure, and if there are external commitments that prevent us from spending the money we need to on the safety of motorways ... we will have to ask ourselves whether we continue to respect these commitments or put the safety of Italians first and foremost,” he said.

“Obviously I will choose the second option.”

First Published: Aug 14, 2018 17:42 IST