Five years have passed since the A-7 bridge collapse in Torrecuevas, when six workers fell to their deaths, but even after all this time, nobody has been held responsible for the disaster – Spain’s judicial system at its worst.

The 7th of November anniversary came and went, with a smattering of politicians and union representatives, dutifully posing for a photograph next to the plaque. Fred Nederlof’s chilling photo, which caught the exact moment of the bridge coming down and reproduced here, made the media rounds… but nothing has been accomplished to establish responsibility for the tragic incident.

Who has not driven over that bridge – open to traffic in July 2009 – and thought about the day the bridge came down? Eleven people who certainly have are those that have been indicted in a trial that has not even begun, mainly because they have lodged an appeal against the hearing taking place. The workers’ union, UGT, together with the provincial prosecutor, are running out of patience, as are the families of the victims, most of who were Portuguese.