The fateful last minute decision that cost four friends their lives: Young men are among 39 found dead in Genoa bridge collapse after they decided to drive instead of fly to their holiday in France

  • At least 39 people have been killed, 12 are in critical and several more are missing after Genoa bridge collapse
  • Dead include Matteo Bentornati, Giovanni Battiloro, Gerardo Esposito and Antonio Stanzione who were due to fly on holiday to Nice, France, but chose to drive instead and were on the bridge when it fell
  • Also among the dead is Alberto Fanfani, 32, an anesthesiologist, and his fiancee Marta Danisi, 29, a nurse
  • Family-of-four including father Andrea Vittone, 49, partner Claudia Possetti, 48, and their children Manuele and Camilla Bellasio, aged 16 and 12, died in collapse 

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Four Italian holidaymakers who were due to fly to France but chose to drive at the last minute have been named among those killed during the bridge collapse in Genoa on Tuesday.

Matteo Bentornati, freelancer videographer Giovanni Battiloro, Gerardo Esposito and Antonio Stanzione were identified among at least 39 people killed during the collapse by local media.

The foursome were due to spend their holidays shuttling between Nice and Barcelona. Paying tribute to Battiloro , his former boss said: 'May the angels welcome him into heaven, into the kingdom of the just and of pure souls.'

Also among the dead was father Andrea Vittone, 49, his partner Claudia Possetti, 48, and their children Manuele and Camilla Bellasio, aged 16 and 12.

Alberto Fanfani, 32, an anesthesiologist, and his fiancee Marta Danisi, 29, a nurse, were also pulled from the rubble. The pair were engaged and due to marry next year. 

The Morandi bridge collapsed around 11.30am on Tuesday while it was packed with commuters, truck drivers and holidaymakers all making their way through the busy port city.

The dead come from all walks of life and all corners of the globe, united by nothing other than the fact that they happened to be on the same 650ft section of bridge at the fateful moment it came crashing down. 

Gerardo Esposito was among four Italian men in their 20s driving on holiday to Nice in France when the Morandi bridge collapsed underneath them on Tuesday, leaving them dead

Gerardo Esposito was among four Italian men in their 20s driving on holiday to Nice in France when the Morandi bridge collapsed underneath them on Tuesday, leaving them dead

Giovanni Battiloro, a freelance videographer also believed to be in his 20s, was inside the car when it was buried under the rubble. The men had been planning to fly to France but at the last minute decided to drive instead

Matteo Bertonati (left) and Antonio Stanzione (right) were also inside the same car and died. They last contacted their parents at 11am on Tuesday to say 'entering Genoa', around half an hour before they died

Alberto Fanfani, 32, an anesthesiologist who was originally from Florence, was also killed in the crash along with his fiancee Marta Danisi, 29. The pair were due to be married next year

Alberto Fanfani, 32, an anesthesiologist who was originally from Florence, was also killed in the crash along with his fiancee Marta Danisi, 29, a nurse. The pair were due to be married next year

Stella Boccia, 24, was also killed alongside her Dominican boyfriend Carlos, 23, who was a waiter. The pair were returning from a vacation when they died

Stella Boccia, 24, was also killed alongside her Dominican boyfriend Carlos Jesus Trullio, 23, who was a waiter. The pair were returning from a vacation when they died

Nathan Gusman, 20, and Melissa Artus, 22, both tourists from France, were on a road trip from Montpellier to Sardinia alongside friend Nemati Alizè Plaze, 20, when they died. The trio were following a route which took them across the bridge

Nathan Gusman, 20, and Melissa Artus, 22, both tourists from France, were on a road trip from Montpellier to Sardinia alongside friend Nemati Alizè Plaze, 20, when they died. The trio were following a route which took them across the bridge

Axelle Nemati Alizè Plaze, 20, from France, was riding in the car with her friends when it plunged into the riverbed

Axelle Nemati Alizè Plaze, 20, from France, was riding in the car with her friends when it plunged into the riverbed

At least 39 people have died, 'some' are still missing and 16 people are in hospital - 12 in critical condition - following the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa, interior minister Matteo Salvini has said

At least 39 people have died, 'some' are still missing and 16 people are in hospital - 12 in critical condition - following the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa, interior minister Matteo Salvini has said

Giorgio Donaggio, a motorbike champion and boat-builder, was killed in the collapse as was Alessandro Robotti, 50 (right). Mr Robotti's wife, Giovanna Bottaro, 43, is missing but presumed dead

Gennaro Sarnataro, 43, a father-of-two and truck driver, was also named among those killed on the bridge

Gennaro Sarnataro, 43, a father-of-two and truck driver, was also named among those killed on the bridge

Chef Juan Carlos Pastenes, 64 (left) and his wife Nora Rivera (right), who are originally from Chile but had lived in Italy for three decades, also perished alongside fellow Chilean Juan Figueroa, 60, who had also spent decades living in Italy

Chef Juan Carlos Pastenes, 64 (left) and his wife Nora Rivera (right), who are originally from Chile but had lived in Italy for three decades, also perished alongside fellow Chilean Juan Figueroa, 60, who had also spent decades living in Italy

Marius Djerri, 22 (left), a football player from Albania, was also killed in the collapse alongside colleague Edy Bokrina. The pair were traveling in a work van to complete a cleaning job when they died. Elisa Bozzo, 34 (right), was pronounced dead after friends had launched a desperate search for her online

Mirko Vicini (picutred), an environment company worker, was underneath the bridge alongside colleague Bruno Casagrande when the bridge came down, killing both of them

Mirko Vicini (picutred), an environment company worker, was underneath the bridge alongside colleague Bruno Casagrande when the bridge came down, killing both of them

Marian Rosca, a 36-year-old lorry driver from Romania, was living and working in France to save up money to get married and build a house for his new wife back home when he was killed

Marian Rosca, a 36-year-old lorry driver from Romania, was living and working in France to save up money to get married and build a house for his new wife back home when he was killed

It has since emerged that the governing Five Star Movement dismissed fears that the bridge would collapse five years ago as a 'fairy story' while opposing a major set of construction works which would have replaced it

It has since emerged that the governing Five Star Movement dismissed fears that the bridge would collapse five years ago as a 'fairy story' while opposing a major set of construction works which would have replaced it

Not all of the dead were motorists however: three men standing underneath the roadway died when tons of concrete tumbled down on top of them.

Bruno Casagrande and Mirko Vicini, who both worked for environment agency Amiu were both crushed to death, as was Alessandro Campora, 46, who was employed by private firm Aster.

Some were young people on their holidays. Stella Boccia, 24, was buried in the wreckage along with Dominican boyfriend Carlos Jesus Truillo, 23, a waiter.

Paying tribute to their daughter online, Boccia's parents wrote: 'A piece of our heart will remained under the rubble of the Genoa bridge.'

A young couple -  Nathan Gusman, 20, and Melissa Artus, 22 - who were driving from Montpellier in France to Sardinia on a route that took them across the bridge were killed along with Axelle Nemati Alizè Plaze, also 20.

Elisa Bozzo, 34, used her Facebook page to write 'how can I not celebrate life!' not long before the tragedy, but on Tuesday desperate friends were using the same site to appeal for her whereabouts.

The search was in vain, however, as she was pronounced dead on Wednesday morning.

Also pulled from the rubble were the remains of Juan Carlos Pastenes, 64, a Chilean chef who had lived in Italy for three decades, along with his wife Nora Rivera. 

Juan Figueroa, 60, a fellow Chilean, who had lived in Italy for at least two decades, was also killed. 

Others were simply carrying on with their everyday lives when the ground gave out underneath their feet.

Marian Rosca, a 36-year-old lorry driver from Romania, was living and working in France to save up money to get married and build a house for his new wife back home when he died. 

Marius Djerri, 22, and Edy Bokrina, from Albania, were in a van on their way to a cleaning job when they perished.

Luigi Matti Altadonna, 35 (right), a father-of-four who sold computer games, was completing his last delivery of the morning when he plunged to his death inside his work van.

Colleague Gianluca Ardini, 29, who was riding in the van with him and is due to become a father next month, escaped with only a dislocated shoulder after clinging on to metal wires.

Andrea Cerulli, 48, an amateur football player with Genoa Club Portuali Voltri and father to a young child, died in the collapse while on his way to work.

Roberto Robbiano, his wife Ersilia Piccinino, and their eight-year-old son Samuel all died as they were driving across the bridge when it collapsed around 11.30am on Tuesday

Roberto Robbiano, his wife Ersilia Piccinino, and their eight-year-old son Samuel all died as they were driving across the bridge when it collapsed around 11.30am on Tuesday

'Genoa Club Portuali Voltri rallying around Andrea's family, our associate, our friend, our colleague, victim of Ponte Morandi's tragedy,' his football club wrote on its Facebook page with this picture attached
The death of Luigi Matti Altadonna, 35, (pictured) who also died crossing the doomed bridge prompted a heartfelt statement to his uncle from the mayor of his hometown of Borghetto

Andrea Cerulli, 48 (left), an amateur football player with Genoa Club Portuali Voltri died in the collapse while on his way to work. Luigi Matti Altadonna, 35 (right), a father-of-four, was also killed while on his way to work in a van. His colleague, Gianluca Ardini, 29, who is also due to become a father, escaped with only a dislocated shoulder

The family from the town of Campomorone north of Genoa were just in the wrong place at the wrong time on the busy arterial road west of the city that was bustling with traffic

The family from the town of Campomorone north of Genoa were just in the wrong place at the wrong time on the busy arterial road west of the city that was bustling with traffic

Giorgio Donaggio, 57, identified by Corriere Della Serra as a former motorbike champion who built boats by hand and ran his own boating firm, was also killed.

Alessandro Robotti, 50, has been confirmed dead in the rubble while his wife Giovanna Bottaro, 43, is still officially listed a missing though hopes of finding her alive are fading fast.

Vincenzo Licata, 58, born in Agrigento, Sicily, and living in Vicenza was also identified as dead by local media.

Roberto Robbiano, his wife Ersilia Piccinino, and their seven-year-old son Samuel all died when their car fell 150ft as the huge 260ft section of the 50-year-old Morandi bridge gave way about 11.30am on Tuesday. 

News of their deaths emerged as it was revealed that Italy's governing Five Star Movement dismissed fears that the Morandi bridge would collapse as a 'fairy story' while opposing repair work as a 'waste of money'.

A now-deleted statement on the party's website from 2013 argues against a project to improve Genoa's highways - including the bridge - saying those who backed the plan showed 'an embarrassing lack of critical sense.'

The plan is 'an obsolete idea with exorbitant costs that, in the end, would fall entirely on citizens' who would have to deal with a decade of building works and disruption, the statement says.

Five Star argued that the bigger threat to Genoa was from floods and landslides, while saying the money would be better spent creating a separate bridge for trucks and investing in public transport.

Repair work was eventually carried out on the bridge in 2016 but plans to rebuild it were shelved amid fears it would be too disruptive to locals. 

The statement emerged as Five Star, which is governing alongside the League party, vowed to fine highway agency Autostrade 150million euros (£133million) for breach of contract while calling for its bosses to be sacked. 

Luigi Di Maio, current Five Star leader, said the disaster 'could have been avoided' and accused Autostrade of failing to carry out proper repair work while collecting some of the highest road tolls in Europe.

He also threatened to withdraw government funding from the company. 

Those killed in the disaster include a  family of three which was wiped out after being crushed by debris 

Cars, tonnes of twisted steel and concrete debris fell into a river, railroad tracks and an industrial zone below, flattening vehicles and leaving rubble embedded in buildings. 

Their car fell 150ft as the a huge 260ft section of the 50-year-old Morandi bridge gave way about 11.30am on Tuesday

Their car fell 150ft as the a huge 260ft section of the 50-year-old Morandi bridge gave way about 11.30am on Tuesday

Ms Piccinino died beside her husband and young son as all three were in their car crossing the bridge as it gave way

Ms Piccinino died beside her husband and young son as all three were in their car crossing the bridge as it gave way

Mr Robbiano, an electrician, married his wife in 2014 and frequently posted photos to his Facebook of his young son and the black-and-white family cat on adventures at home and on holiday

Mr Robbiano, an electrician, married his wife in 2014 and frequently posted photos to his Facebook of his young son and the black-and-white family cat on adventures at home and on holiday

 

Amateur football player Andrea Cerulli, the father of a young son, was killed on his way to work, according to friends

Amateur football player Andrea Cerulli, the father of a young son, was killed on his way to work, according to friends

Luigi Di Maio, Five Star's current leader (left), said on Wednesday that the tragedy 'could have been avoided' but blamed highway agency Autostrade for failing to carry out repairs. He joined Matteo Salvini (right) in calling for the company to be fined £133million for breach of contract and put pressure on bosses to quit

Genoa declared two days of mourning for Wednesday and Thursday.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday that 38 people had died in the collapse, up from 35 the day before.

A dozen people remain in serious condition in hospital, while three people were previously reported missing. 

It was not immediately clear whether the three additional deaths reported Wednesday morning were because authorities had found the missing people.

Mr Salvini also said three children - aged eight, 12 and 13 - were among the dead, but gave no further details. 

Among the devastation, a handful of survivors were miraculously plucked from the 'apocalyptic' wreckage and rushed to hospital - some falling in their cars about 150ft to the ground below.

Photos showed firefighters winching survivors strapped into stretchers from among the boulder-sized pieces of concrete, before they were whisked away by emergency helicopters. 

'The first thing that should happen is that the heads of Autostrade per l'Italia should step down. 

'And given that there have been breaches (of contract), I announce that we have begun the process for the eventual revocation of their contract and a fine of 150 million euros,' transport minister Danilo Toninelli said.

The Italian government said Wednesday that it wants to revoke the contract given to the company that manages the country's motorways and slap it with a huge fine following the collapse 

Witnesses said the bridge was hit by lightning seconds before it collapsed and was seen 'wobbling', but engineers rubbished the idea that a bolt from above had anything to do with the disaster.  

An aerial view of the collapsed bridge shows just how much of the busy highway collapsed and crashed to the ground - and how close several vehicles came to falling with it

An aerial view of the collapsed bridge shows just how much of the busy highway collapsed and crashed to the ground - and how close several vehicles came to falling with it

One firefighter stays with the victim as their are lowered to the ground to be rushed to hospital

A survivor with a head would is winched out of the debris on a stretcher by a fire crew after being found among the rubble

The victim is loaded into a paramedic helicopter to be rushed to hospital, as one of few pulled alive from the wreckage

One firefighter stays with the victim as their are lowered to the ground to be rushed to hospital

The victim is loaded into a paramedic helicopter to be rushed to hospital, as one of few pulled alive from the wreckage

As night fell on the city of Genoa, the massive pile of rubble was illuminated on the skyline in the nearby neighbourhood

As night fell on the city of Genoa, the massive pile of rubble was illuminated on the skyline in the nearby neighbourhood

'It couldn't have been lightning. I don't see how that would be possible as it's reinforced concrete and it's certainly never happened before,' Agathoklis Giaralis, deputy director of the University of London's Civil Engineering Structures Research Centre, told MailOnline.

He said the bridge, which was completed in 1967, must have been flawed in its construction, likely in the foundations, or suffered from extensive corrosion in its metallic parts. 

'For such a bridge to collapse it has to be something serious that went unnoticed in maintenance and inspections,' he said.

'It's an old bridge that was difficult to inspect from the start and doesn't have the redundancies that modern bridges do, so it is likely that one failure could lead to its collapse.'

Dr Giaralis said the metal parts, particularly the cables, of a bridge like the Morandi are the weakest parts but this bridge didn't fail there - pointing to bigger underlying issues.

'Usually these fail due to corrosion and that a process that takes decades, and it is very unusual that something that can cause total collapse went unnoticed,' he said.

'I would say that most probably something went wrong with the foundation or supporting ground rather than with the pier, the deck, or the cables.'

Dr Giaralis said the bridge was fully loaded with cars and there was wind, which may have triggered the collapse but would not have been the underlying cause as both should not be an issue for a healthy bridge.

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion.

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors. 

Engineering experts also warned two years ago that it would be more cost effective to knock the bridge down than to continue to repair the 'uneven' construction. 

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

Photos from Google Maps showed the bridge with what appeared to be spot repairs in the months leading up to the collapse, as it had been under repair since 2016.

 Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion

 Dr Giaralis said they were most likely patches to replace spalling concrete and ensure that reinforcement was covered to avoid long term corrosion

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors

He said they likely were unrelated to the collapse, which was caused by much more fundamental structural errors

In the early 1990s, the suspension cables along the bridge had to be replaced, and further restructuring work was carried out in 2016. 

In 2016, Antonio Brencich, associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Genoa warned that the Morandi Bridge's maintenance costs 'are so exorbitant that it would be cheaper to build a new one'.

'Right away the bridge manifested various problems, beyond the construction costs, which went over budget,' he wrote in 2016.

'There are errors in this bridge. Sooner or later it will have to be replaced. I don't know when,' he warned.

In the article, quoted by Il Tempo, Professor Brencich says issues with the bridge being uneven and 'semi-horizontal' had plagued the construction since the early 1980s.

In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'.

The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious.

The disaster shocked the world but many locals feared the bridge would collapse for years and held their breath every time they crossed the vital arterial road.

'The state of the bridge always concerned us. Nobody has ever crossed that bridge with a light heart,' Genoa resident Elizabeth told the BBC.

'Everybody has always done it praying that the bridge wouldn't fall down. Today that happened.'

There were also concerns the Italian mafia could have contributed to the bridge's collapse by their construction companies being involved in maintenance work - including shoring up the foundations.

'Mafia-related companies are known to have infiltrated the cement and reconstruction industries over the decades and prosecutors have accused them of doing shoddy work that cannot withstand high stress,' Canada's Globe and Mail wrote.

'The Mafia is notorious for nabbing reconstruction contracts after earthquakes and cutting corners.'

Franco Roberti, then head of Italy's anti-Mafia directorate, said in 2016 that mafia-related companies should not be able to participate in earthquake reconstruction work for that reason. 

'There are risks; it is useless to hide it,' he told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper at the time. 'The risk of infiltration is always high. Postearthquake reconstruction is a tasty morsel for criminal organizations and business interests.'  

Carnage: The Morandi bridge collapsed at 11.30am local time. It was built on the A10 toll motorway in the 1960s and was restructured in 2016

Carnage: The Morandi bridge collapsed at 11.30am local time. It was built on the A10 toll motorway in the 1960s and was restructured in 2016

A green lorry stopped just a few feet from the gaping gap in the bridge, which collapsed during driving rain in the Italian city

A green lorry stopped just a few feet from the gaping gap in the bridge, which collapsed during driving rain in the Italian city

Search for survivors: Shocking images showed firefighters and other emergency services crews searching for survivors among the wreckage

Search for survivors: Shocking images showed firefighters and other emergency services crews searching for survivors among the wreckage

Officials fear 'dozens' are dead in what is being described as 'an immense tragedy.' There are reports that a baby is among the victims and that two people died in their homes when the giant structure collapsed

Officials fear 'dozens' are dead in what is being described as 'an immense tragedy.' There are reports that a baby is among the victims and that two people died in their homes when the giant structure collapsed

Rubble was still strewn around the area at nightfall along with smashed parts of cars and other vehicles, and the buildings the bridge fell on 

Rubble was still strewn around the area at nightfall along with smashed parts of cars and other vehicles, and the buildings the bridge fell on 

Heavy machinery was called in to pull away the huge slabs of concrete as firefighters refused to give up their desperate search for survivors

Heavy machinery was called in to pull away the huge slabs of concrete as firefighters refused to give up their desperate search for survivors

Officials fear 'dozens' are dead in what is being described as 'an immense tragedy.' There are reports that a baby is among the victims and that two people died in their homes when the giant structure collapsed.

Amid 'apocalyptic' scenes, up to 35 cars and three heavy trucks cascaded into the valley below as they were making their way over the bridge.

One witness said he saw the 50-year-old structure 'wobbling' minutes before it gave way as dramatic footage showed it being struck by lightning seconds before it crumbled.

'It was just after 11.30 when we saw lightning strike the bridge and we saw it going down,' eyewitness Pietro told Italy's Ansa news agency.

One unnamed witness said: 'We heard an incredible roar and first we thought it was thunder very close by.

'We live about three miles from the bridge but we heard a crazy bang... We were very scared... Traffic went completely haywire and the city was paralysed.'

Laurie Merchant, who was in Genoa at the time, told MailOnline: 'The storm this morning was something else: very heavy rain and relentless. There was thunder like never before which sounded like a cannon. I was about five minutes from the bridge and I heard a loud crumbling when it went down.

'All you can hear in the city is the sirens of the emergency vehicles going non-stop from the bridge to the hospital. 

'The air ambulance has been hovering most of the day. There are huge numbers of people outside the hospital and on the main shopping street there are two vans for people to donate blood.'   

Rescuers desperately hunting for survivors are now fearful of explosions from damaged gas lines and some areas have been evacuated while safety checks take place.

Firefighters pick through the remains of completely flattened cars as they look for survivors on the ground below the bridge where falling pieces smashed everything in their path

Firefighters pick through the remains of completely flattened cars as they look for survivors on the ground below the bridge where falling pieces smashed everything in their path

Rubble: Most of the collapsed parts of the bridge fell to railway tracks and the river below as firefighters rushed to the scene

Rubble: Most of the collapsed parts of the bridge fell to railway tracks and the river below as firefighters rushed to the scene

Dramatic pictures from the scene show how cars were crushed in the rubble as the bridge came crashing down during the storm

Dramatic pictures from the scene show how cars were crushed in the rubble as the bridge came crashing down during the storm

 The disaster occurred on a highway that connects Italy to France and other vacation resorts on the eve of a major Italian holiday

Scenes of devastation as trucks and cars are smashed as they fell to the ground when the bridge collapsed, or were crushed by falling debris

Rescuers look for survivors under boulder-sized slabs of concrete and twisted metal of reinforcing cables

Firefighters survey the scene under the bridge next to an Audi that was completely flattened by pieces of the bridge

Scenes of devastation as trucks and cars are smashed as they fell to the ground when the bridge collapsed, or were crushed by falling debris

Firefighters drag either a body or one of just a few survivors found inside mangled cars like this one, which was completely flattened by falling debris

Firefighters survey the scene under the bridge next to an Audi that was completely flattened by pieces of the bridge

A rescuer surveys the scene of destruction next to a mangled car that fell from the bridge and was hit by successive pieces of debris

Firefighters drag either a body or one of just a few survivors found inside mangled cars like this one, which was completely flattened by falling debris

A survivor with a head would is winched out of the debris on a stretcher by a fire crew after being found among the rubble

A rescuer surveys the scene of destruction next to a mangled car that fell from the bridge and was hit by successive pieces of debris

Incredibly, four people have been pulled alive from cars found in the mangled ruins of the bridge while two warehouses below the structure were empty having been closed for the summer holiday.

Dramatic photos shows how a green truck had stopped just short of the gaping hole in the bridge, which was built on the A10 toll motorway in northwestern Italy in the 1960s. Work to shore up its foundations was being carried out at the time of the collapse, highway operators say.

The exact cause of the disaster, the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, is not yet clear but Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said it showed the dilapidated state of the country's infrastructure and a lack of maintenance, adding that 'those responsible will have to pay.'

'There has not been sufficient maintenance and checks, and safety work for many bridges and viaducts and bridges in Italy constructed, almost all, during the 1960s,' he said.

Mr Toninelli said the operator of the section of highway including the bridge claimed maintenance work was up to date.

However, he added a €20 million (£17.8 million) bidding process for significant safety work on the bridge was coming up.

The bridge operator said there was no way to predict that the structure would come down.

Autostrade's Genoa area director, Stefano Marigliani, said: 'The collapse was unexpected and unpredictable.'

'The bridge was constantly monitored and supervised well beyond what the law required. There was no reason to consider the bridge dangerous.'  

Revealed: Experts warned two years ago that 50-year-old 'uneven' Genoa bridge should be demolished because no one would pay for maintenance

By Sara Malm for MailOnline 

The motorway bridge which collapsed in Genoa, Italy, killing at least 35 people had been the subject of a series of 'exorbitant' maintenance works and had been causing issues for decades, it has emerged.

Engineering experts had warned that it would be more cost effective to knock the bridge down than to continue to repair the 'uneven' construction.

The Morandi Bridge, built in 1967, was a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 and A7 highways and had therefore been heavily trafficked for more than 50 years.

Before: The 3,615ft long Morandi Bridge, completed in 1967, had needed several rounds of maintenance work over the past decades

Before: The 3,615ft long Morandi Bridge, completed in 1967, had needed several rounds of maintenance work over the past decades

Tuesday morning was no different, and dozens of cars fell several hundred feet when a 260ft section of the concrete bridge collapsed shortly after 11.30am.

Transport and Infrastructure minister Danilo Toninelli called the incident 'an enormous tragedy', vowing that those responsible for the collapse would 'pay up' 

'The first information would seem to say that the maintenance had been carried out, but it can not be so. These tragedies can not happen in a civilized country like Italy.' 

Despite its majestic design, the structure of the Morandi Bridge, using two types of reinforced concrete, had caused issues over the decades and required expensive maintenance.

In the early 1990s, the suspension cables along the bridge had to be replaced, and further restructuring work was carried out in 2016. 

Designer: The Morandi Bridge was named after its designer, Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi

Designer: The Morandi Bridge was named after its designer, Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi

In 2016, Antonio Brencich, associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Genoa warned that the Morandi Bridge's maintenance costs 'are so exorbitant that it would be cheaper to build a new one'.

In the article, quoted by Il Tempo, Professor Brencich says issues with the bridge being uneven and 'semi-horizontal' had plagued the construction since the early 1980s.

In December 2016, Genoan newspaper Il Secolo XIX claimed maintenance of bridges in the area had been lacking funds because authorities 'preferred to allocate more funds to new works'.

The paper accused officials in the Liguria region of only making important restorations when issues with bridges had become obvious. 

Similar: The Morandi Bridge's sister bridge, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge in Venezuela, which partially collapsed in 1964

Similar: The Morandi Bridge's sister bridge, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge in Venezuela, which partially collapsed in 1964

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His deputy  Edoardo Rixi added: 'It's not acceptable that such an important bridge... was not built to avoid this kind of collapse.'

The CNR civil engineering society is calling for a 'Marshall Plan' to repair or replace tens of thousands of bridges in Italy that have surpassed their lifespans, having been built in the 1950s and 1960s with reinforced concrete. 

The group said the bridges were built with the best-known technology of the time, but that their working lifespan is 50 years. 

It added that in many cases, the cost to update and reinforce the bridges is more than it would cost to destroy and rebuild them.

The CNR called for a major program to replace most of the bridges with new ones that would have a lifespan of 100 years.

It cited previous collapses, including one in April 2017 in the northern province of Cuneo that crushed a carabinieri police car, though the officers and the driver they had pulled over in a traffic stop heard the creaking noise and got out of the way in time.

Another was an overpass in the northern city of Lecco that collapsed under exceptional weight, crushing a car and killing the driver.

Italy's anti-establishment government which took office in June has pledged to increase public investments and lobby the European Commission to have the extra spending excluded from EU deficit calculations.

'The tragic facts in Genoa remind us of the public investments that we so badly need,' said Claudio Borghi, economics spokesman of the right-wing League party, which governs with the 5-Star Movement.

The office of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said he was heading to Genoa in the evening and would remain there on Wednesday. Defence minister Elisabetta Trenta said the army was ready to offer manpower and vehicles to help with the rescue operations.  

Firefighters searching the rubble with dogs for survivors have so far rescued two survivors and one has been flown to hospital by helicopter. 

An official with Italian firefighters, Amalia Tedeschi, said many cars and trucks had been involved in the collapse. She confirmed that two injured people had been extracted alive from vehicles.

Tedeschi said that sniffer dogs are at work in the rubble looking for more injured and victims. Heavy equipment was being moved in so they could lift pieces of the bridge. She said the part of the bridge that collapsed was about 80 yards long.

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday that "around 30" have been killed after a motorway bridge collapsed in the northwestern port city of Genoa

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday that 'around 30' have been killed after a motorway bridge collapsed in the northwestern port city of Genoa

The disaster occurred on a major road that connects Italy to France, and links northern cities like Milan to the beaches of Liguria. It came on the eve of a major Italian holiday called Ferragosto, which marks the religious feast of the Assumption of Mary

The disaster occurred on a major road that connects Italy to France, and links northern cities like Milan to the beaches of Liguria. It came on the eve of a major Italian holiday called Ferragosto, which marks the religious feast of the Assumption of Mary

Dramatic pictures from a hill above the bridge show the scale of the devastation caused by the collapse this morning

Dramatic pictures from a hill above the bridge show the scale of the devastation caused by the collapse this morning

Firecrews have started the grim task of sifting through the wreckage in the wake of the collapse, which is now believed to have claimed more than 30 lives

Firecrews have started the grim task of sifting through the wreckage in the wake of the collapse, which is now believed to have claimed more than 30 lives

The collapse of the bridge comes eight days after another major accident on an Italian highway, near the northern city of Bologna. Rescue workers are pictured next to an upturned truck in the valley below the bridge

The collapse of the bridge comes eight days after another major accident on an Italian highway, near the northern city of Bologna. Rescue workers are pictured next to an upturned truck in the valley below the bridge

Firefighters said two people had been pulled alive from the rubble from the Morandi Bridge after a section collapsed onto an industrial area below

Firefighters said two people had been pulled alive from the rubble from the Morandi Bridge after a section collapsed onto an industrial area below

There were horrifying scenes as rescuers carried bodies from the twisted remains of cars flattened during the collapse

There were horrifying scenes as rescuers carried bodies from the twisted remains of cars flattened during the collapse

Officials fear the death toll from the disaster could climb. Fire crews are pictured using a stretcher to lift a body from the rubble

Officials fear the death toll from the disaster could climb. Fire crews are pictured using a stretcher to lift a body from the rubble

Dramatic pictures show the scale of the collapse, with vast mounds of concrete and steel lying twisted in the valley. Rescuers say they are fearful that gas lines may have been damaged, elevating the threat of an explosion

Dramatic pictures show the scale of the collapse, with vast mounds of concrete and steel lying twisted in the valley. Rescuers say they are fearful that gas lines may have been damaged, elevating the threat of an explosion

A witness told Sky Italia television he saw several vehicles on the bridge when it collapsed. Video captured a man screaming 'oh god, oh, god' as the bridge went down.  

Some 600ft of the Morandi bridge collapsed over an industrial zone, raising concerns gas lines may have been damaged.

The disaster occurred on a highway that connects Italy to France and other vacation resorts on the eve of a major Italian holiday, Ferragosto meaning traffic would have been heavier than usual as many Italians traveled to beaches or mountains.

One witness has told local Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX that the bridge was wobbling this morning before the disaster.

He told the paper: 'I walk the Morandi Bridge almost every day. The bridge often oscillates, for trucks, the tails ... but this morning I had the feeling, maybe just the suggestion, that this oscillation was much more marked than usual.

'I walked back to the house on my way back a quarter of an hour before it collapsed.'

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said 200 firefighters were responding to the accident.

'We are following minute by minute the situation for the bridge collapse in Genoa,' Salvini said on Twitter.

Some 200 firefighters were on the scene, the fire service said, and Italian news agency ANSA said two survivors had been pulled out of the rubble under the collapse

Some 200 firefighters were on the scene, the fire service said, and Italian news agency ANSA said two survivors had been pulled out of the rubble under the collapse

Fire crews lift a victim to safety on a stretcher as rescue operations gathered pace in the Italian city of Genoa this afternoon

Fire crews lift a victim to safety on a stretcher as rescue operations gathered pace in the Italian city of Genoa this afternoon

Destruction: Cars fell 300ft when the the bridge gave way at 11.30am local time. Shocking images showed the bridge half collapsed 

Destruction: Cars fell 300ft when the the bridge gave way at 11.30am local time. Shocking images showed the bridge half collapsed 

Rescuers stand among the upturned remains of a lorry after it plummeted hundreds of feet during the bridge collapse this morning

Rescuers stand among the upturned remains of a lorry after it plummeted hundreds of feet during the bridge collapse this morning

Police footage showed firemen working to clear debris around a crushed truck, while other fireman nearby scaled broken slabs of the collapsed bridge support

Police footage showed firemen working to clear debris around a crushed truck, while other fireman nearby scaled broken slabs of the collapsed bridge support

Some 600ft of the Morandi bridge collapsed over an industrial zone, raising concerns gas lines may have been damaged

Some 600ft of the Morandi bridge collapsed over an industrial zone, raising concerns gas lines may have been damaged

Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said in a tweet that he was 'following with great apprehension what seems like an immense tragedy.'

Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said in a tweet that he was 'following with great apprehension what seems like an immense tragedy.'

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said some 200 firefighters were responding to the accident. Pictured: Police at the scene

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said some 200 firefighters were responding to the accident. Pictured: Police at the scene

The Morandi Bridge was inaugurated in 1967. It is 90 yards high, just over three-quarters of a mile long, with the longest section between supports measuring 200 yards

The Morandi Bridge was inaugurated in 1967. It is 90 yards high, just over three-quarters of a mile long, with the longest section between supports measuring 200 yards

The 50-year-old bridge designed by celebrated Italian engineer

The disaster happened on a highway that connects Italy to France and other vacation resorts and happened on the eve of a major Italian holiday on Wednesday, Ferragosto. 

Traffic would have been heavier than usual as many Italians travelled to beaches or mountains.

The Morandi Bridge, the work of celebrated Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi who died in 1989, was inaugurated in 1967.  

It is a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 highway that goes toward France and the A7 highway that continues north toward Milan.

Itt is 295 ft (90m) high and just over 0.6 miles (1km) long.

Its  longest section between supports measuring more than 650ft (200m).

The point where the bridge fell was 328ft above the ground. 

Restructuring work was carried out in 2016. The highway operator said work to shore up the foundation of the bridge was being carried out at the time of the collapse, adding that the bridge was constantly monitored. 

Another Morandi bridge in Venezuela, built to a similar design to the one in Genoa, partially collapsed in 1964 after being hit by an oil tanker. 

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Shares in Atlantia, the toll road operator which runs the motorway, were suspended after falling 4.6 percent after news of the collapse. 

The Morandi Bridge, the work of celebrated Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi who died in 1989, was inaugurated in 1967. 

It is just over three-quarters of a mile long, with the longest section between supports measuring 200 yards.

Restructuring work was carried out in 2016. The highway operator said work to shore up the foundation of the bridge was being carried out at the time of the collapse, adding that the bridge was constantly monitored.

The bridge is a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 highway that goes toward France and the A7 highway that continues north toward Milan.

Another Morandi bridge in Venezuela, built to a similar design to the one in Genoa, partially collapsed in 1964 after being hit by an oil tanker. 

Commenting on today's disaster, Ian Firth, the Past President of The Institution of Structural Engineers, told MailOnline: 'It is too early to say what caused the tragic collapse, but as this reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge has been there for 50 years it is possible that corrosion of tendons or reinforcement may be a contributory factor. 

'There are no obvious signs to say what specifically triggered the collapse at this time; the fact that there was reported to be a storm at the time may or may not be particularly relevant.

'The bridge is a very unusual design, very similar to its much larger cousin, the Lake Maracaibo bridge in Venezuela, also designed by Riccardo Morandi and completed six years earlier in 1962. 

'The A-frame towers which support the concrete-encased stay cables combine with V-shaped supports below the deck to create a stiff arrangement which is not common in cable stayed bridges. 

'This deals with potential unbalanced loads which arise due to the multi-span nature of the structure. As yet, there is no evidence to say whether any impact occurred; it is too early to say what triggered the collapse.'

Aftermath: A man with his arm in a sling speaks to reporters as he walks away from the scene of the disaster this afternoon

Aftermath: A man with his arm in a sling speaks to reporters as he walks away from the scene of the disaster this afternoon

One survivor was flown to hospital by helicopter. The local fire brigade said the bridge collapsed at around 11:30am (0930 GMT) during torrential rainfall

One survivor was flown to hospital by helicopter. The local fire brigade said the bridge collapsed at around 11:30am (0930 GMT) during torrential rainfall

A witness told Sky Italia television he saw 'eight or nine' vehicles on the bridge when it collapsed. Pictured: Police at the scene

A witness told Sky Italia television he saw 'eight or nine' vehicles on the bridge when it collapsed. Pictured: Police at the scene

Video captured a man screaming 'oh god, oh, god' as the bridge went down. Pictured: Rescuers at the scene

Video captured a man screaming 'oh god, oh, god' as the bridge went down. Pictured: Rescuers at the scene

Train services around Genoa have been halted as a major rescue operation gets under way in northern Italy

Train services around Genoa have been halted as a major rescue operation gets under way in northern Italy

The elevated road crumbled over a river, railroad tracks and buildings. The highway is a major artery to the Italian Riviera and to France's southern coast

The elevated road crumbled over a river, railroad tracks and buildings. The highway is a major artery to the Italian Riviera and to France's southern coast

Shares in Atlantia, the toll road operator which runs the motorway, were suspended after falling 4.6 percent after news of the collapse

Shares in Atlantia, the toll road operator which runs the motorway, were suspended after falling 4.6 percent after news of the collapse

An official with Italian firefighters, Amalia Tedeschi, told RAI state TV that some 20 vehicles, including cars and trucks, had been involved in the collapse

An official with Italian firefighters, Amalia Tedeschi, told RAI state TV that some 20 vehicles, including cars and trucks, had been involved in the collapse

Dramatic footage shows trucks and cars stranded on either side of the collapsed section of the bridge, which was built on the A10 toll motorway in northwestern Italy in the 1960s and which was undergoing repairs

Dramatic footage shows trucks and cars stranded on either side of the collapsed section of the bridge, which was built on the A10 toll motorway in northwestern Italy in the 1960s and which was undergoing repairs

This afternoon, French President Emmanuel Macron offered Italy his country's help this afternoon.

The president's office said that Macron, who is currently staying at a presidential residence in southern France, had a phone call with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

In French and Italian, Macron wrote on Twitter: 'Our thoughts go to the victims, their relatives and all the Italian people. France stands by Italy in that tragedy and is ready to provide all necessary support.'

The disaster occurred on a major highway that connects Italy to France and other vacation resorts. 

Tuesday's incident is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, a country prone to damage from seismic activity but where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of economic stagnation.

In March last year a couple were killed when a motorway overpass collapsed on their car near Ancona on the country's Adriatic coast.

Rescuers at the scene used ladders to search for survivors as they climbed the wreckage of the bridge which fell at 11.30am

Rescuers at the scene used ladders to search for survivors as they climbed the wreckage of the bridge which fell at 11.30am

Firefighters battled to rescue any survivors as heavy rains lashed northern Italy on Tuesday afternoon

Firefighters battled to rescue any survivors as heavy rains lashed northern Italy on Tuesday afternoon

A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy, 14 August 2018

A large section of the Morandi viaduct upon which the A10 motorway runs collapsed in Genoa, Italy, 14 August 2018

The bridge (pictured before the collapse), the work of celebrated Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi who died in 1989, was inaugurated in 1967

The bridge (pictured before the collapse), the work of celebrated Italian civil engineer Riccardo Morandi who died in 1989, was inaugurated in 1967

A pensioner died in October 2016 when his car was crushed by a collapsing bridge over the SS36 dual carriageway between Milan and Lecco.

That incident was blamed on bureaucratic bungling which led to a fatal delay in the bridge being closed after it was reported to be showing significant cracks.

Today's disaster also comes days after another major accident near the northern city of Bologna. In that case, a tanker truck carrying a highly flammable gas exploded after rear-ending a stopped truck on the road and getting hit from behind itself. 

The accident killed one person, injured dozens and blew apart a section of a raised eight-lane highway.

The Morandi bridge (pictured before the collapse) went down due to structural weakness

The Morandi bridge (pictured before the collapse) went down due to structural weakness

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