A French court acquitted the companies Airbus and Air France of criminal liability in the 2009 crash of a passenger plane flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, which caused dissatisfaction among people who attended the trial.
According to the Associated Press, some had tears in their eyes, and some listened in silence as the presiding judge read the decision, which was devastating for the families of the 228 victims of the disaster.
They fought for 13 years to bring this case to court.
The three-member court panel assessed that there was not enough evidence to "establish a direct connection between the decisions of the two companies and the plane crash."
An official investigation found that multiple causes led to the crash, including pilot error and the formation of ice on external sensors, reports Free Europe.
The court did not find the companies criminally liable, but concluded that Airbus and Air France were liable for civil damages.
That is why he ordered the companies, as stated, to pay compensation to the families of the victims.
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