Seventeen years after the catastrophic Viareggio train disaster of June 29, 2009, which claimed 32 lives and injured 130 others, Italy’s Supreme Court has delivered its final verdict. The judges of the Fourth Penal Section upheld a definitive five-year prison sentence for Mauro Moretti, the former CEO of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (Rfi) and Ferrovie dello Stato (Fs), on charges of culpable railway disaster. The ruling means the former executive faces imminent imprisonment, sparking a sharp reaction from his defense attorney, Ambra Giovene: "I am deeply outraged by this deeply unjust outcome. We are talking about a crime of negligence for which Mr. Moretti is not responsible, and the case files prove it."

The Supreme Court also confirmed the criminal liability and lower court rulings for ten other defendants. Among them is Michele Mario Elia, another former CEO of Rfi, who received a sentence of four years, two months, and 20 days. Final sentences of up to six years were also locked in for executives and technicians from Austrian and German rail companies who were responsible for inspecting and maintaining the cargo cars involved in the derailment.