In a ruling related to the fatal 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447, which flew from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, the Court of Appeal in Paris has found both Air France and Airbus guilty of negligent homicide. Consequently, both companies have been fined €225,000.
The accident, which occurred over the Atlantic, resulted in the loss of 228 lives after the aircraft encountered adverse weather and crashed into the ocean. This incident was noted as the worst accident in the history of Air France and the most severe accident involving the Airbus A330.
This verdict changes the outcome of the case, as both corporations had been initially acquitted and had consistently maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings.
During the trial, the Court scrutinized Airbus’s handling of sensor failures and criticized the company for providing insufficient staff training. Ultimately, the court concluded that the sole responsibility for the major disaster lay with both respective companies.
