Paris Appeals Court Finds Air France and Airbus Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

A Paris appeals court on Thursday found Air France and Airbus guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the 2009 crash of Flight AF447 that killed all 228 people on board. The verdict overturned a 2023 acquittal by a lower court after an eight-week trial. The court ruled that the airline and manufacturer were solely and entirely responsible for the disaster.

AF447 disappeared from radar on June 1, 2009, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean during a storm. Investigators later determined that faulty air-speed sensors and crew response to the stall contributed to the loss of control. The wreckage was located after a lengthy search, and flight recorders were recovered in 2011.

Prosecutors argued that the companies failed to provide adequate crew training and did not properly address prior incidents involving similar sensor issues. The court imposed the maximum fine of €225,000 on each company.

“The justice system was at last, taking into account the pain of the families faced with a collective tragedy of unbearable brutality." — Daniele Lamy, president of the AF447 victims' association Relatives of victims, mainly from France, Brazil, and Germany, gathered at the court to hear the ruling after nearly two decades of legal proceedings.”

The companies have maintained their innocence throughout the case.

Legal experts expect the appeals process to continue for several more years. The fines represent a small fraction of the companies' annual revenue.