The accident that occurred at the Torraccia airfield has reignited debate over the facility’s safety and the protection of nearby homes. RETE has weighed in with a statement signed by group leader Emanuele Santi, who recalls the parliamentary question submitted to the Government on 5 August, which contained 24 questions about the state of the airfield.
“On 5 August we put 24 questions to the Government in a public parliamentary query about the Torraccia airfield, seeking to shed light on the overall situation and to obtain guarantees on safety and on the protection of residents. We hadn’t even had time to receive a reply when an aircraft ran off the runway and crashed just a few dozen metres from homes,” the statement reads.
According to RETE, the incident caused no injuries, but for the movement it represents an event that makes the issues already raised even more urgent. “Fortunately no one was hurt, but the accident shows just how real the concerns are that some dismiss as excessive, portraying those who raise them as needlessly pedantic and opposed to the country’s development,” the statement continues.
At the heart of the intervention are, in particular, the safety of Torraccia’s residents, emergency procedures and oversight of flight activity. “RETE is simply asking how the Congress of State intends to protect resident citizens and what emergency and evacuation plans are in place should an accident occur. We are asking for clarification on the safety distances from homes, on the daily checks carried out on flight activity, and on the conditions of an area often affected by strong gusts of wind,” the movement states.
RETE also links these questions to plans concerning the airfield’s future and a possible increase in activity. “We hear talk of resurfacing the runway and boosting air traffic, yet we still don’t know in what context, what guarantees exist for those who live in Torraccia, or what procedures kick in when something goes wrong. Shouldn’t this be addressed before launching any expansion plans?,” the statement continues.
The movement rejects the idea that its requests amount to opposition to the infrastructure’s development, insisting instead on the need to address safety-related issues beforehand. “For us at RETE, this is what being responsible means, not alarmist, because these are anything but theoretical questions, as yesterday’s accident demonstrated.”
The statement closes with a fresh appeal to the executive: “This time we got lucky, but how much longer must we keep risking it before the Government treats safety as a priority?“
