A French court has found that Air France and Airbus are not guilty of causing the deaths of all 228 people on board the plane that crashed in June 2009 and killed everyone on board.
The Air France Airbus A330 got stuck in the air during a storm and fell into the Atlantic Ocean. Even if mistakes were made, the judge said, it could not be shown that those mistakes caused the crash.
The acquittal made the families of the dead very angry. At the end of the long public trial, when the decision was read, they looked shocked.
Danièle Lamy, the head of the group that speaks for the victims’ families, said that the families were “disgusted” that their long fight for justice had been for nothing.
“After 14 years of waiting, all that is left is hopelessness, shock, and anger,” Ms. Lamy said.
Claire Durousseau, whose sister died in the crash, said that the verdict was a big blow to those who were left behind,”Our lost ones have died a second time. I feel sick.”
It was France’s first trial for company unintentional manslaughter.
Air France and Airbus have always rejected the accusations, which could have cost them up to €225,000 (£200,000).
The companies said that the crash was caused by a mistake made by the pilot.
The investigation showed that the plane had run into a thunderstorm at a high height a few hours after leaving Rio de Janeiro. When the air-speed sensors froze and gave false readings, the pilots didn’t take the right steps and lost control of the plane, which crashed into the ocean.
The judge said that both companies did some careless things, but there wasn’t enough proof to say for sure that Airbus and Air France were to blame for the crash.
“A likely cause-and-effect link isn’t enough to define an offence,” the judge said in front of a packed court room.
Air France sent its “deepest condolences” to the families, and Airbus said it was “totally committed” to flight safety.
When the plane crashed into the water from a height of 38,000ft (11,580m), all 12 crew members and 216 passengers died. It was the deadliest accident in the history of French flying.
After a long search of 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of sea floor, the plane’s wreckage was found. The people who died came from 33 different nations.