Nobody “by default“no”neglect“in”direct linkThe prosecution on Wednesday did not seek to indict Airbus and Air France in the trial of the Rio-Paris plane crash that killed 228 people on June 1, 2009, a stance that has angered civil parties. .
Corporate guiltseems impossible to show. We know that this position will most likely be incomprehensible to civil parties, but we are not in a position to demand the condemnation of Air France and Airbus.– concluded the prosecutor.
Upon these words, loud applause was heard in the crowded hall of the Paris criminal court. “I’m ashamed to be French.“, “what is justice for?“Before leaving the room, he opened several civil parties.
The prosecutor’s conclusion came at the end of a nearly five-and-a-half-hour indictment, which began with a preamble describing the crash of Flight AF447 as the worst in Air France’s history.unparalleled drama“.
“This tragic accident is above all a human tragedy, which has forever upset the relatives of the victims.“, of which “the suffering has been constantly restarted during these thirteen years“, a”too long a delayProsecutor Marie Dafurk emphasized.
“No criminal sin”
“To submit to society in such an ordeal is to maintain public order (and) to remember that respect for human life does not permit any compromise. However, this only supports prosecution if the crimes are characterized– he warned.
On June 1, 2009, flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crossed a storm zone “Doldrumswhen the Pitot anemometer probes that measure the aircraft’s speed outside the aircraft are blocked by ice crystals. Destabilized, the two co-pilots, soon joined by the off-duty captain, were unable to regain control of the plane, which struck the ocean 4 minutes and 23 seconds after the probes froze.
The prosecution first applied “the focal point of the debateduring the trial opened on October 10. Failure to replace the Air France A330, Thales AA model pitot probes with another model that appeared to have less icing. “It is clear that, taking into account the scientific data of the time, it seems to me that no criminal guilt can be preserved;– assessed Pierre Arnaudin. Ms. Dufourk then insisted noaircraft design flawcould not be held against Airbus.
The prosecution, first of all, considered that the incriminating evidence gathered by the Paris Court of Appeal, which ordered the trial in 2021, was groundless. it concluded that the defendants had not underestimated the seriousness of Pitot’s investigative failures, which had been compounded in the months leading up to the crash.
“Desire to punish”.
The incident report says:there was never a runaway and total loss of control of the aircraftMr. Arnaudin argued. The prosecutor explained at length why, according to him, neither Airbus nor Air France complied.”culpable negligence” regarding pilot training and notification of this failure.
After reading a number of testimonies, the prosecutor announced that “AIrbus and Air France could be justified in believing that these courses and procedures should have been sufficient to manage AF447’s situation at the time.“.
“We have heard the unbearable pain of the loss of your loved ones, your desire for punishment, that the guilty be known;– he continued, addressing the civilian parties. “Our duty as prosecutors is to refer to the law (…) without being influenced by the expectations of one or the other party, even if they are considered legitimate.“.
This is the turning point many times in a long procedure. After a ten-year investigation, the prosecution demanded the removal of Air France, but not Airbus. Judges then dismissed the case in 2019. Appealing to the investigative chamber, the prosecution demanded the release of the two companies, which was followed by the appeals court, which ordered a trial.
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.