Fury clouds funeral plans for Italy bridge victims

Grieving relatives wept over coffins of dozens of victims of Genoa's bridge collapse today as controversy clouded a planned state funeral, while rescuers pressed on with their formidable search for those missing in the rubble.

Fury is growing over the shock collapse of the Morandi bridge, a decades-old viaduct that crumbled in a storm on Tuesday killing at least 38 people, with Italian media reporting that some outraged families would shun tomorrow's official commemorations.

Italy's government has blamed the operator of the viaduct for the tragedy and threatened to strip the firm of its contracts, while the country's creaking infrastructure has come under scrutiny.

Authorities are planning a state funeral service and mass for the dead tomorrow at a hall in Genoa, coinciding with a day of mourning.

Relatives who gathered at the hall today embraced and prayed over lines of coffins, many adorned with flowers and photographs of the dead.

But according to La Stampa newspaper, the families of 17 victims have refused to take part, while a further seven have yet to decide whether they will attend, as some relatives opt to hold private ceremonies.

"It is the state who has provoked this, by not showing their faces: the parade of politicians was shameful," said Nunzia, the mother of one of four young Italians from Naples who died as they set off on holiday.

And the father of another took to social media to vent his anger.

"My son will not become a number in the catalogue of deaths caused by Italian failures," said the grieving father, Roberto.

"We do not want a farce of a funeral but a ceremony at home." - 10-20 people still missing -