PARIS: A Paris appeals court on Thursday found Air France and Airbus guilty of corporate manslaughter over the 2009 crash of Flight AF447.
The decision stems from the June 1, 2009 disaster in which an Airbus A330 traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after disappearing from radar during a storm, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board. It remains the deadliest aviation disaster in French history.
Investigators determined that the aircraft’s speed sensors were obstructed by ice crystals, leading to the autopilot disengaging.
The flight crew, described in court findings as insufficiently trained for the situation, was unable to recover control after the aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall.
The jet plunged nearly 38,000 feet into the ocean in just over three minutes.
The court ruled that both companies were “solely and entirely responsible” for failures related to safety and training, making them liable for fines of up to €225,000 ($261,720).
Families of victims gathered outside the courthouse as the verdict was announced. Some criticized the penalty as minor compared to the scale of the tragedy and the companies’ revenues, though they welcomed the guilty verdict after a 17-year legal battle.
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Both Air France and Airbus have consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the proceedings and have not yet indicated whether they will appeal the latest ruling.
