Skip to main content
FRANCE - Italy

France opens inquiry into Genoa bridge collapse

Four French nationals are reported dead in the Genoa bridge collapse, the foreign affairs ministry has announced, leading the authorities to open an inquiry into the causes. Ministers are now under pressure over a report that said a third of France's road bridges are in need of repair.

Rescue workers in Genoa
Rescue workers in Genoa REUTERS/Massimo Pinca
Advertising

The ministry on Wednesday afternoon raised its estimate of the toll of French nationals who died in the Italian disaster from three to four.

All four are young and from south-western France, according to European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau.

Two are from the south-western city of Toulouse, whose mayor, Jean-Luc Moudenc, offered his condolences to their families and wished the emergency services good luck.

"We remain in contact with the Italian authorities to determine if there are other French people among the victims," a foreign affairs ministry statement said.

French concerns

Because of the presence of French victims, the French authorities have opened a legal inquiry into the cause of the collapse.

And the media are asking of such a tragedy could occur in France, in the light of a report published in July.

It estimated by that a third of the country's 12,000 road bridges need repairs and seven percent could be at risk of collapse.

Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne is "determined to provide the resources for the upkeep and renovation of our infrastructure because it is obviously a priority", Loiseau told BFMTV.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.