Air France and Airbus have been found guilty of manslaughter over a 2009 plane crash which killed 228 people.
The Paris Appeals Court found the airline and aircraft manufacturer "solely and entirely responsible" for the incident, in which flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The passenger jet stalled during a storm and plunged into the water, killing all on board. All 12 crew members and 216 passengers on board the flight were killed when the plane crashed into the sea from a height of 38,000ft (11,580m), making it the deadliest incident in French aviation history.
A court had previously cleared the companies in April 2023, but they were found guilty on 21st May 2026 after an eight-week trial. Both have repeatedly denied the charges and say they will appeal.
The wreckage was located after a long search of 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of sea floor. But the flight recorder was not found until 2011, after months of deep-sea searches.
The companies have been asked to pay the maximum fine - €225,000 (£194,500) each.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czd2qmdvmq6o
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