Up to 20 people could be missing after bridge collapse

At least 39 people died in the disaster, which has prompted a year-long state of emergency to be declared in the region.

As rescuers search through the debris, Genoa chief prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters that “there could be 10 to 20 persons still missing”.

Fifteen people are injured and at least seven victims have been pulled out of the rubble alive.

Italy’s populist government has attacked one of the country’s biggest business families and the European Union over the fatal bridge collapse in Genoa.

Blame for the tragedy is being pushed by the national government on to a major infrastructure group, which operated the motorway on which the bridge collapsed.

Trading of shares in Atlantia were initially suspended on Thursday, but then plunged by more than 24% when activity was resumed an hour later.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte intends to revoke the licence of Autostrade per L’Italia, owned by Atlantia, to operate the A10 motorway as well look at its other tolls.

The government also intends to fine the firm €150m (£134m).

Luigi Di Maio, leader of the Five Star Movement and Italy’s deputy prime minister, claimed motorway tolls could be nationalised as he took aim at big business.

“It’s not possible that someone pays a toll to die,” he said.

“Those who were supposed to do the maintenance work did not do it properly. That bridge should have been closed before this tragedy happened.

“The profits that these companies make as monopolies anger many people … a lot of money should have been invested in security, but instead it went towards dividends.”

2:34

Mr Di Maio also attacked the Benetton group, the family-run firm which controls Autostrade through a holding company as well as many other assets.

He accused previous governments of turning a blind eye to the state of the country’s motorways because of their desire for political contributions.

Atlantia said the decision to revoke its licence had been taken unilaterally and said compensation would be due if toll contracts were ended early.

“The announcement was publicly communicated lacking a specific default notice and without any verification of the material causes of the accident,” the firm said in a statement.

Autostrade pushed back against fierce criticism and said it had relied on world-leading experts to test and inspect the bridge, with the checks providing reassuring results.

“These outcomes have formed the basis for maintenance work approved by the transport ministry in accordance with the law and the terms of the concession agreement,” it said.

The company is expected to hold an extraordinary board meeting next week.

Matteo Salvini, the leader of the Northern League, who are in coalition with Five Star, condemned European Union budget constraints in the wake of the disaster.

“We should ask ourselves whether respecting these limits is more important than the safety of Italian citizens. Obviously for me, it is not,” he said.

The League and Five Star want Brussels to bend rules on deficit targets to allow them to boost spending and cut taxes in their upcoming budget.

1:41

The EU issued a strong response to the criticism on Thursday, with a European Commission spokesman claiming “the time has come to make a few things clear”.

“Over the 2014-2020 period Italy is set to receive around €2.5bn under European structural and investment funds for investment in network infrastructures such as roads or rail,” he said.

“In April 2018, the Commission also approved under EU state aid rules an investment plan for Italian motorways which will enable around €8.5bn of investments to go ahead, including in the Genoa region.”

The spokesman also insisted EU member states are “free to set specific policy priorities”, including areas such as the development and maintenance of infrastructure.

He added: “In fact, the EU has encouraged investment in infrastructure in Italy.”

Stating the European Council had this year called on Italy to better target investments to increase infrastructure development, the spokesman claimed Italy was one of the “main beneficiaries” of flexibility within Brussels’ rules on public finances.

A 10,000-strong rescue team, including 400 firefighters, continues to work at the scene in Genoa.

Fears the remaining structure of the Morandi Bridge may collapse has led to the evacuation of some 630 people who live nearby.

Italian prosecutors do not believe the tragedy was an accident.

They are focusing their investigation on possible design flaws or inadequate maintenance.

Genoa prosecutor Francesco Cozzi told reporters: “I don’t know if there is responsibility. For sure it was not an accident.”