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Venice Gondola Tragedy: Family Awarded millions in Compensation After Decade-long Legal Battle
A family from Baden-Württemberg, who lost a loved one in a tragic gondola accident in Venice over ten years ago, has finally been awarded millions in compensation. The appellate court’s decision overturns a previous ruling that denied the family any recompense.
Reports from Italian news agency Ansa and local newspaper “IL Gazzettino” indicate that the widow and children of the deceased are set to receive a total of four million euros. While the widow confirmed to the German Press Agency (dpa) that the prior judgment was overturned, she declined to comment on the specific amount, stating that the reported four million euros is an overestimation. The judgment is not yet final, and further appeals are possible.
The incident occurred in August 2013 when a 50-year-old man, a law professor and judge, was on a gondola ride with his wife and their three children, aged between four and ten. The gondola, navigating the Grand Canal near the iconic Rialto Bridge, collided with a Vaporetto, a public transport water bus operating in the city’s waterways.
The collision resulted in the man falling into the water. he was tragically crushed between a pier and the Vaporetto, sustaining fatal injuries. One of his daughters also suffered injuries in the accident.At the time,the gondolier reportedly stated that he had lost control of his vessel while attempting to maneuver around other boats and gondolas near the bridge.
According to the reports, the Court of Appeals has ordered the municipal transport companies, responsible for the Vaporetto operations, to pay 2.2 million euros in damages. An additional 1.8 million euros is to be paid by two boat operators. This appellate decision contrasts sharply with the initial ruling in 2018, where a court dismissed the family’s compensation claim.
The civil proceedings for compensation followed criminal proceedings related to the accident.In June 2015,three Vaporetto drivers and a water taxi driver received suspended sentences for gross negligence,having been found to have obstructed each other,thereby contributing to the accident.A gondolier was also convicted in a subsequent legal process.
