Paris Court Convicts Air France, Airbus of Manslaughter for 2009 Atlantic Crash

A Paris Appeals Court has found Air France and Airbus guilty of corporate manslaughter concerning the 2009 crash of Flight AF447. The incident, which saw the Rio de Janeiro to Paris service plunge into the Atlantic Ocean, resulted in the deaths of all 228 people on board.

The passenger jet stalled during a storm and fell from an altitude of 38,000 feet (11,580m). This verdict reverses an April 2023 court decision that had previously cleared both companies.

The Airbus A330 vanished from radar during the severe weather, initiating an extensive search across 10,000 square kilometres (3,860 square miles) of seabed. The aircraft's black box was eventually recovered in 2011 after months of deep-sea operations.

All 12 crew members and 216 passengers perished in the disaster, making it the deadliest incident in French aviation history. Relatives of the predominantly French, Brazilian, and German victims were present for the court's judgement.

Both companies have been ordered to pay the maximum fine of €225,000 each. However, some families of the deceased have criticised this amount, viewing it as a mere symbolic penalty. During closing arguments in November, deputy prosecutors had condemned the companies' conduct as "unacceptable," accusing them of presenting "nonsense" and fabricated arguments.

Airbus and Air France have consistently denied the charges, and French legal observers anticipate further appeals from both entities.