The Paris court has acquitted European manufacturers Airbus and Air France for the crash of flight AF447 Rio-Paris in 2009, which killed all 228 people on board. The French judiciary ruled that although both companies committed “faults,” a “certain causal link” to the accident could not be demonstrated. Flight AF447 crashed in the middle of the night on June 1, 2009, a few hours after takeoff from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. All 216 people on board died. The crash is the deadliest in the history of French airlines.
The prosecution had requested the acquittal of both companies, considering that it was “impossible to prove” their guilt. However, the civil parties criticized the decision, arguing that the request was “exclusively against the pilots, in favor of two multinationals.” Airbus and Air France representatives argued that the companies did not commit any criminal offenses. They asked for acquittal, calling it a “humanly difficult but technically and legally justified decision,” according to Airbus counsel.
The trial took place in October and December 2022, with the participation of Airbus and Air France representatives. On board the stricken aircraft were people of 33 different nationalities. Although both companies are considered to have committed “faults,” the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove their culpability in the accident.