Distraught families whose loved ones died in Air France's worst-ever crash shouted down the CEOs of the airline and of planemaker Airbus on Monday as the two companies went on trial on manslaughter charges for the 2009 accident over the Atlantic Ocean.
The crash of storm-tossed Flight 447 en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris killed all 228 people aboard and had lasting impact on the industry, leading to changes in regulations for airspeed sensors and in how pilots are trained.
The official investigation found that multiple factors contributed to the crash, and the companies deny criminal wrongdoing. The two-month trial is expected to focus on pilot error and the icing over of external sensors called pitot tubes. Air France CEO Anne Rigail met similar emotions when she told the court she was aware of the families' pain.The presiding judge called for calm and the proceedings resumed.
The A330-200 plane disappeared from radar over the Atlantic Ocean between Brazil and Senegal with 216 passengers and 12 crew members aboard. Air France is accused of not having implemented training in the event of icing of the pitot probes despite the risks. It has since changed its training manuals and simulations. The company said it would demonstrate in court "that it has not committed a criminal fault at the origin of the accident" and plead for acquittal.
The companies' "image, their reputation" is at stake, said Philippe Linguet, who lost his brother on Flight 447. He expressed hope the trial would expose the failings of Airbus and Air France -- two major players in the industry and in the French economy -- to the world.
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