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Air France, Airbus acquitted over 2009 crash

21 Apr 2023
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Airbus and Air France have both been acquitted of manslaughter over the 2009 Rio-Paris crash in which all 228 people on board died.

Each was facing a fine of €225 000 (R4,5million).

Both Air France and Airbus have insisted over the past 14 years that they were not responsible for the disaster.

On June 1, 2009, Flight 447, an Airbus 330 travelling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris disappeared  into the Atlantic Ocean after it was caught in an overnight thunderstorm. 

Ice crystals had interfered with the aircraft’s air speed sensors, known as Pitot tubes, and its autopilot had also disconnected.

Air France was accused of not providing adequate training to its pilots for how to react if the airspeed sensors malfunctioned, while Airbus was accused of failing to inform airlines and their crews about a problem with the Pitot tubes after they had malfunctioned due to ice on previous flights.

The court ruled that there was no evidence that the crash could have been avoided if the failings had not occurred, and it announced that it would not seek convictions.

During the past 14 years, families of the victims have been compensated.

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