So far, no Cypriots have been reported among the victims of a motorway bridge collapse in Genoa, Italy that claimed 37 lives.
A Cyprus Foreign Ministry statement said Nicosia is closely following the situation and is in direct communication with the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Italy.
It said that based on current available information, no Cypriot nationals are among the victims.
Cypriot nationals who are currently in Italy or are planning to visit the area shortly are advised to follow developments through the media and observe the instructions of the local authorities.
For more information or possible consular assistance, Cypriot nationals can contact the Embassy of Cyprus in Italy at 35, Via Ludovisi, 00187 Rome, telephone number +39 068088365 /7.
In case of emergency and / or consular emergency issues, Cypriot nationals may also contact the Duty officer at the Foreign Ministry (Non-office hours only) at tel.: + 35 799 660 129 or at the Crisis Management Department CY MFA, at tel.: + 357 22 80 1000
Rescue workers combed through the rubble of Italy’s bridge collapse on Wednesday as the death toll climbed to 37 and the government blamed the bridge’s private owner, demanding resignations and moving to strip its toll concession.
The 50-year-old bridge, part of a toll motorway linking the port city of Genoa with southern France, collapsed during torrential rain on Tuesday, sending dozens of vehicles crashing onto a riverbed, a railway and two warehouses.
As cranes moved in to shift truck-sized chunks of broken concrete, hundreds of firefighters searched for survivors, while public shock and grief turned to anger over the state of the 1.2 km-long bridge, completed in 1967 and overhauled two years ago.
The condition of the bridge, and its ability to sustain large increases in both the intensity and weight of traffic over the years, have been a focus of public debate since the collapse, when an 80-metre span gave way at lunchtime as cars packed with holidaymakers as well as trucks streamed across it.
Italy’s transport minister has begun a process to fire the bridge’s concession-holder, Italian motorway firm Autostrade, a unit of Atlantia group, and he demanded top Autostrade managers resign.
“Autostrade per l’Italia was not able to fulfil its obligations under the contract regulating management of this infrastructure,” Danilo Toninelli said on RAI 1 state TV, adding that he would also seek to levy heavy fines against the company.
“I have given mandate to my ministry to start all proceedings to apply the agreement, that is to revoke the concession from these companies and seek significant sanctions which can reach up to 150 million euros based on the terms of the contract.”
The Morandi Bridge, named after the engineer who designed it, forms part of the A10 motorway run by Autostrade. The 55-km (34 mile) stretch of the A10 accounts for around 1.7% of total network traffic for Italy’s biggest toll road operator, according to one analyst’s estimate.
Italy will carry out nationwide structural inspections of ageing bridges and tunnels across the country with a view to launching a programme of remedial works if required.
