Airbus, Air France Cleared of Involuntary Manslaughter Over 2009 Crash
April 17 2023 - 9:34AM
Dow Jones News
By Mauro Orru
European plane maker Airbus SE and carrier Air France were
acquitted of involuntary manslaughter following an air crash that
killed all 228 people on board in 2009, a French court ruled
Monday.
The ruling caps years of legal back and forth for families of
the victims, Airbus and Air France--part of Air France-KLM. An Air
France spokesman said the airline acknowledged the court's
acquittal decision. Airbus said the ruling meant all criminal
charges against Airbus had been dismissed.
Airlines are automatically liable for damages in case of death
or injury under the Montreal Convention of 1999 governing airlines'
liability toward their passengers for accidents, according to the
International Air Transport Association.
"Deeply saddened by this terrible accident, Air France will
always remember the victims and wishes to express its heartfelt
sympathy to their loved ones. The company also wishes to reaffirm
its continued trust in all of its pilots and flight crews and
reiterates that the safety of its customers and crews is its
absolute priority," the Air France spokesman said.
Flight AF447 plunged into the Atlantic Ocean en route from Rio
de Janeiro to Paris in June 2009. The wreck was only discovered on
the ocean bed in April 2011.
A 2012 report from French accident investigators said Air France
pilots had received wrong speed readings after ice crystals froze
key equipment on the A330-203, prompting the pilots to keep the
nose up and climb above 37,000 feet until the aircraft stalled and
slammed into the ocean.
Investigators said the crash ultimately resulted from the crew's
"failure to diagnose the stall situation and consequently a lack of
inputs" that would have allowed them to recover and continue the
flight.
"We would like to express our sympathy to those who lost a
family member, a loved one, a colleague and everyone touched by
this tragedy. Airbus reaffirms the full commitment of the company
and all its employees to keep prioritizing a safety-first culture
across the company and the aviation sector," Airbus's spokesman
said.
Write to Mauro Orru at mauro.orru@wsj.com; @MauroOrru94
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 17, 2023 09:19 ET (13:19 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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