Could the Air France disaster ruling set a new legal precedent? | Global News Podcast

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Published 5/22/2026, 8:45:25 PM · Updated 5/22/2026, 8:50:05 PMBy TheBriefWire Editorial Team

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  • Air France and Airbus have been found guilty of corporate manslaughter over a plane crash in 2009, which killed all 228 people onboard.
  • Flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean during a storm.
  • A court had previously cleared both companies of criminal liability in 2023. But on Thursday, the Paris Appeals Court found the airline and aircraft manufacturer were "solely and entirely responsible", after an eight-week trial.
  • A group representing families of the victims said the justice system had finally recognised the pain for relatives facing ''a collective tragedy of unbearable brutality".
  • Both Air France and Airbus have denied the charges and say they will appeal.

Published May 22, 2026.


📌 Source: BBC News

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