Air France, Airbus cleared of involuntary manslaughter over 2009 crash in which three Irish doctors died

A French court has acquitted Airbus and Air France of manslaughter charges over the 2009 crash of Flight 447 from Rio to Paris in which 228 people died, including three Irish women.

Dr Aisling Butler (26), from Roscrea, Co Tipperary; Dr Jane Deasy (27), from Dublin, and Dr Eithne Walls (28), from Co Down, were returning from a holiday in Brazil when they died in the crash, which led to lasting changes in aircraft safety measures.

Sobs broke out among victims’ families in the courtroom as the judges read out the decision. The official investigation found that multiple factors contributed to the crash, the worst air disaster in French history, including pilot error and the icing over of external sensors called pitot tubes.

The two-month trial left families wracked with anger and disappointment. Unusually, even state prosecutors argued for acquittal, saying that the proceedings did not produce enough proof of criminal wrongdoing by the companies.

“People think ‘there are hostages – it is what it is’. But there are families who cannot carry on with their lives”

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[ Air France flight 447 trial: ‘I am Aisling’s dad, I feel it is important I speak on her behalf’ ]

Prosecutors laid the responsibility primarily with the pilots, who died in the crash. Airbus lawyers also blamed pilot error, and Air France said the full reasons for the crash will never be known. Airbus and Air France had faced potential fines of up to €225,000 each if convicted.

Air France has already compensated families of those killed, who came from 33 countries. Families from around the world were among the plaintiffs, including many in Brazil.

John Butler, the father of Aisling Butler, was the only Irish family member to have joined Entraide et Solidarité AF447, an association of 384 family members affected by the crash. On November 24th, he told the court about the pain of losing his beautiful daughter.

“To be honest, it was very hard,” he said, “but I am Aisling’s dad, so I feel it is important I speak on her behalf and on behalf of my bereaved family.”

The A330-200 plane disappeared from radar in a storm over the Atlantic Ocean on June 1st, 2009, with 216 passengers and 12 crew members aboard. It took two years to find the plane and its black box recorders on the ocean floor, at depths of more than 4,000m.

An Associated Press investigation at the time found that Airbus had known since at least 2002 about problems with the type of pitot tubes used on the jet that crashed, but failed to replace them until after the crash.

Air France was accused of not having implemented training in the event of icing of the pitot probes despite the risks. Airbus was accused of not doing enough to urgently inform airlines and their crews about faults with the pitot tubes or to ensure training to mitigate the risk.

The crash had lasting impacts on the industry, leading to changes in regulations for airspeed sensors and in how pilots are trained.

Distraught families shouted down the chief executives of Airbus and Air France as the proceedings opened in October, crying out “shame!” as the executives took the stand. Dozens of people who lost loved ones stormed out of the court when the prosecutors called for acquittal. – AP