The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has confirmed that an Italian family, Mr. Cristian Cecal, his Jamaican-born wife, Dawna Munroe and their nine-year-old daughter Crystal, who was also born in Jamaica, were sadly amongst the 43 casualties of a collapsed bridge in Genoa, Italy on August 15.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith has conveyed condolences, through the Jamaican Ambassador in Geneva, to the Cecal and Munroe families. Johnson Smith stated that, “We recognize that this is a most tragic and traumatic incident and we continue to pray for all the families and the country of Italy during this difficult period of national mourning.”
Johnson Smith affirmed, that “Although we are only commenting on the matter of the Cecal family now, the Ministry has been communicating with relatives through our Ambassador as well as Jamaica’s Honorary Consul in Rome and has offered support. We are, however, mindful of certain sensitivities surrounding the event and must always act responsibly and in ways that are in the best interest of the families.”
The bodies of the three members of the family were among the last to be recovered on Monday, August 20 from the scene of the accident, where a section of a bridge on a main highway linking Italy with France collapsed in the Italian port city of Genoa, during a violent storm.
The Foreign Ministry has confirmed that representatives of both families are currently in Italy and that in light of the Italian citizenship of the family; the Italian Government has taken charge of the situation and has assigned a Red Cross Representative to provide additional support.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade will provide further information to the public, as the family may deem appropriate.
Contact: The Public Relations & Media Affairs Unit at Tel: 926-3740ext 3420-3421