Two global aviation giants are convicted in Paris and will have to pay R$ 1.3 million each for the crash of the Rio-Paris flight that killed 228 people in 2009.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 21/05/2026 at 16:05

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Paris Court of Appeals overturns 2023 acquittal, holds Air France and Airbus responsible for Rio-Paris flight tragedy and imposes maximum fine of 225,000 euros on each company

Two aviation giants, Air France and Airbus, were convicted this Thursday (05/21) in France for involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 Rio-Paris flight accident, which killed 228 people in the Atlantic Ocean. The decision overturns the 2023 acquittal and imposes a maximum fine of 225,000 euros on each company.

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Rio-Paris flight accident: Conviction overturns previous acquittal

The Paris Court of Appeals found the airline and aircraft manufacturer guilty of corporate involuntary manslaughter, where there is no intent to kill.

The decision came after an appeal against the April 2023 trial, in which Air France and Airbus had been acquitted.

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Rio-Paris flight mobilized searches in an area of 10,000 km²

The location of the wreckage required a long operation on the seabed, in an area of 10,000 square kilometers. The black box was only found in 2011, after months of searches at sea.

In the first 26 days of the initial operation, 51 bodies were recovered, many still strapped to their seatbelts.

While the French government was responsible for investigating the accident, Brazilian forces took charge of recovering the bodies.

The case also left lasting marks on the families. In 2019, the father of one of the victims told BBC News Brazil that he was only able to bury his son’s remains more than two years after the accident.

Maximum fine was criticized by victims’ families

Air France and Airbus were ordered to pay 225,000 euros each, equivalent to R$ 1.3 million. The amount corresponds to the maximum fine, but some families criticized the penalty, considered symbolic given the scale of the tragedy.

Relatives of victims, mainly French, Brazilian, and German, gathered on Wednesday (05/20) to follow the verdict.

During the closing arguments in November, prosecutors classified the companies’ behavior as “unacceptable” and accused them of “uttering absurdities and inventing arguments.”

Aviation giants deny accusations and may appeal again

Both Air France and Airbus have repeatedly denied the accusations. Legal analysts believe the companies will appeal the decision again.

The BBC reported that it contacted Airbus and Air France for comment.

This article was prepared based on information from BBC News Brazil, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.

This article includes data from the BBC and other sources.

Two global aviation giants are convicted in Paris and will have to pay R$ 1.3 million each for the crash of the Rio-Paris flight that killed 228 people in 2009.

Paris Court of Appeals overturns 2023 acquittal, holds Air France and Airbus responsible for Rio-Paris flight tragedy and imposes maximum fine of 225,000 euros on each company

Rio-Paris flight accident: Conviction overturns previous acquittal

Rio-Paris flight mobilized searches in an area of 10,000 km²

Maximum fine was criticized by victims’ families

Aviation giants deny accusations and may appeal again

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Two global aviation giants are convicted in Paris and will have to pay R$ 1.3 million each for the crash of the Rio-Paris flight that killed 228 people in 2009.

Paris Court of Appeals overturns 2023 acquittal, holds Air France and Airbus responsible for Rio-Paris flight tragedy and imposes maximum fine of 225,000 euros on each company

Rio-Paris flight accident: Conviction overturns previous acquittal

Rio-Paris flight mobilized searches in an area of 10,000 km²

Maximum fine was criticized by victims’ families

Aviation giants deny accusations and may appeal again

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While a traditional school may take several days just to raise walls, in Malawi a 3D-printed school had its structure ready in 18 hours, welcomed children in June, and showed a new solution to the lack of classrooms.

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