Air France, Airbus Found Guilty Over 228 Deaths in AF447 Crash, Reversing 2023 Acquittal
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 21
Air France, Airbus Found Guilty Over 228 Deaths in AF447 Crash, Reversing 2023 Acquittal
18 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 21
Paris Appeals Court convicted Air France and Airbus of corporate manslaughter over the 2009 crash of Flight AF447, which plunged into the Atlantic and killed all 228 people on board.
The ruling overturned an April 2023 decision that had cleared both companies after judges found them criminally responsible on appeal.
Judges ordered each company to pay the maximum fine of €225,000, though some victims' relatives called the penalty merely symbolic.
Flight AF447 was traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when the jet stalled during a storm; many of the victims were French, Brazilian and German nationals.
If corporate failure caused the AF447 crash, what has truly changed to prevent another such disaster?
After 17 years, why was the fine for 228 deaths only €225,000 for two global corporations?
Air France 447: Paris Court Convicts Air France and Airbus for Involuntary Manslaughter After 17-Year Legal Battle
Overview
The 2009 Air France Flight 447 disaster, which claimed 228 lives, set off a long legal process beginning with a criminal inquiry and formal charges against Air France and Airbus for involuntary manslaughter. After years of expert reports and hearings, the Paris appeals court delivered a landmark verdict on May 21, 2026, convicting both companies for their roles in the tragedy. The court found them responsible for the deaths and imposed symbolic fines, marking a major step in accountability and providing long-awaited recognition for the victims’ families after nearly seventeen years of legal struggle.