Torre del Greco – At 11:36 this morning, Corso Garibaldi in Torre del Greco fell silent, filled with emotion, to commemorate Giovanni Battiloro, Matteo Bertonati, Gerardo Esposito, and Antonio Stanzione, the four young men from the Vesuvian town who tragically died in the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa on August 14, 2018.
Seven years later, the Sviluppo Area Porto association brought together family members, citizens, authorities, and law enforcement at the lookout point dedicated to the boys, in an annual ritual that keeps alive the memory of the victims and the demand for justice.
The ceremony, supported by the municipal administration led by Mayor Luigi Mennella, was attended by political and religious institutions. At 11:36 a.m., the sirens of the Port Authority and law enforcement agencies sounded at sea and along the closed road, while a wreath was laid at the foot of the commemorative plaque.
Friends of the victims hand-carried canvases with their portraits, taken from the Youth Forum, in a gesture of affection and remembrance. "Today the pain is even greater, but we remain united with the families, asking that justice take its swift course," said Deputy Mayor Michele Polese, who was present along with Councilors Francesco Leone, Mariateresa Sorrentino, Laura Vitiello, and City Council President Gaetano Frulio.
Regional Council Vice President Loredana Raia added: "Remembering these children is a duty. We await with their families the conclusion of the trial to shed light on this tragedy.
The collapse of the Morandi Bridge , which claimed the lives of 43 people, including four young people heading to Spain for a vacation, remains an open wound. A first-degree trial is underway in Genoa to determine responsibility. In Torre del Greco, the community gathers every year to remember its young people, with a moment of prayer led by the parish priest of Portosalvo, Vincenzo Vitiello, and the promise to never forget until justice is done.
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It's very important to remember victims like Giovanni Battiloro, but I wonder if things will really change after seven years. Justice must be served; let's hope there's a positive outcome for the families.