Lucca (Italy), Jan 31 (IANS/AKI) An Italian court on Tuesday jailed former Italian railways chief Mauro Moretti over an explosion that killed 29 people when a freight train derailed in the Tuscan coastal city of Viareggio in 2009.
The court in the Tuscan city of Lucca also jailed the ex-chief of rail network company RFI, Michele Mario Elia, sentencing him to seven years and six months in prison.
Prosecutors had requested a 16-year jail term for Moretti and 15 years for Moretti over the June 29, 2009 disaster in which liquid petroleum gas canisters being carried by the train blew up.
A total of 33 people and nine companies were charged with rail disaster, multiple manslaughter, negligent arson and injury.
Moretti will not serve any of his sentence until two possible appeals have been heard, a process that is expected to take several more years.
He is currently boss of Italian aerospace and defence giant Leonardo, formerly Finmeccanica.
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--IANS/AKI
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