Mestre, 21 June 2024 – La breakage of a pin in the joint that connects the steering to the wheels: this caused the vehicle to go off the road tourist bus crashed from the overpass of Mestre on October 3, 2023. The tragedy led to the death of 22 people – including the driver Alberto Rizzotto – and others wounding of others 15.
This was announced following expert investigations by the Venice prosecutor, Bruno Cherchi. “This is the reconstruction made – he explained – a break which is coincidental, at present, with the ungovernable situation of the vehicle”. It therefore now remains to establish “the causal link between the failure of the steering and the state of the barriers of the overpass”. These last they were not in good conditionaccording to the prosecutor, and dated back to seventies.
At the moment, on the register of investigatedthe names of two officials of the municipality of Venice – respectively the manager of the mainland road traffic and mobility sector and the head of the mainland road maintenance service – and of theCEO of the transport company La Linea.
The accident took place on Rizzardi flyover in Magherashortly after 7.30 pm. Above all, there were on board foreigners on holiday, including a one-year-old baby and two other minors who were among the victims. The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Venice took action immediately an investigationwhose very first hypotheses focused on the state of the guardrail of the overpass and on driver’s health. However, an examination of Rizzotto’s heart showed that the man he did not suffer any illness; the possibility of falling asleep was also excluded. He died due to his skull collapsing following the ten meter fall of the vehicle.
The crime hypothesis for the three accused is road homicidemultiple manslaughter by road, serious or very serious personal injury by road and negligent personal injury.
