Paris, 21 May 2026
A Paris appeals court found Air France and Airbus guilty of manslaughter on Thursday for their roles in the 2009 crash of Flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
The court stated that the companies were 'alleine und komplett verantwortlich' (solely and completely responsible) for the crash, which occurred when the Airbus A330 vanished from radar screens on June 1, 2009.
All 228 passengers and crew aboard the flight, representing 33 nationalities, perished when the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
In 2023, a lower court had acquitted both companies, but the appeals court overturned that decision, imposing the maximum fine of €225,000 (US$261,720) on each for corporate manslaughter.
The verdict comes after a 17-year legal battle by victims' families seeking accountability for what remains one of the deadliest accidents in aviation history.