Rio-Paris crash: Airbus and Air France released by the courts 14 years after the facts

2023-04-17 15:13:23

It was written that the decision could only be symbolic. The Paris court decided on Monday to release the companies Airbus and Air France in the trial relating to the crash of the Rio-Paris flight AF447, which crashed on June 1, 2009 in the Atlantic Ocean. Symbolic because the maximum penalties incurred by the two companies could not exceed 225,000 euros.

The European manufacturer Airbus and the Air France company were prosecuted for manslaughter after the crash of flight AF447 Rio-Paris which killed 228 people 14 years ago. The Paris Criminal Court dismissed the two companies, judging that, if “faults” had been committed, “no certain causal link” with the accident had “could not be demonstrated”.

“All that remains is despair, consternation and anger”

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., the large courtroom was filled with relatives of the victims, Air France and Airbus teams as well as journalists. When the release was announced, some civil parties stood up as if amazed, before sitting down again, while the president continued to read in a heavy silence.

“We expected an impartial judgment, it was not the case. We are disgusted,” reacted Danièle Lamy, president of the association Entraide et Solidarité AF447. “All that remains of these 14 years of waiting is despair, consternation and anger. ” ” We are told : responsible but not guilty. And it’s true that we were waiting for the word guilty “, declared Me Alain Jakubowicz, one of their lawyers.

Air France “takes note of the judgment”, according to a press release. “The company will always remember the memory of the victims of this terrible accident and expresses its deepest sympathy to all of their loved ones.” Airbus considered that this decision was “consistent” with the dismissal pronounced at the end of the instruction in 2019. The group also “expresses” its “compassion” to the relatives of the victims, and “reaffirms (its) total commitment (…) in terms of aviation safety”.

Judgment awaited worldwide

After two months of trial and an indictment of more than five hours, the prosecution had requested the release of the two companies. He felt that their guilt was “impossible to demonstrate”. These requisitions had already scandalized the civil parties, after a legal procedure of more than a decade.

Despite everything, this judgment of the Paris court was expected around the world. Only the words of the court made it possible to understand the possible shortcomings retained (or not) against one or the two jewels of aeronautics, for families who say they are still devastated by the tragedy, and who have delivered poignant testimonies. at the bar.