In July 2000, the Concorde crashed near Paris which killed 113 people. After catching fire, the Concorde failed to gain height and crashed into a motel immediately after take-off. All the passengers, nine French crew and four motel employees were killed. What was the cause of this tragedy?
The court ruled that the Concorde crashed due to the illegal repair by Continental Airlines. A strip of titanium fell on the runway from a Continental DC-10 that took off four minutes before the Concorde. This caused a fire and explosion just after the take-off.
The court at Pointoise, near Paris, rejected the defender’s counter-argument that the repair by Air France was the real cause of the tragedy and not the one by Continental Airlines. The judicial investigation took seven years. The French aviation officials were found partially guilty because they hided evidence of structural weaknesses concerning the Concorde.
The judge ignored this element and found Continental Airlines guilty of manslaughter and ordered the company to pay fines and damages of at least €1,2 million. John Taylor, the Continental mechanic was also convicted for manslaughter and has a 15-month suspended sentence. (Both said they would appeal.)
“EADS”, the successor to Concorde’s French manufacturer “Aerospatiale”, should pay 30 per cent of the damages already paid out to the families of the victims. The remaining 70 per cent must be paid by Continental.
It is very sad that such things happen. Unfortunately for the friends and families of the victims. They received an amount of money as compensation for their losses but the money can never replace their sorrow. It is disappointed that while it could be prevented, no one stood up and took responsibility.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/french-court-blames-continental-airlines-for-fatal-concorde-crash-2153054.html
Daphné V.E.
I also think it is very sad that such things happen. It is impossible to understand how people can risk lives of others. It is the airport's responsibility to guarantee a safe trip; they shouldn't be risking their passenger's lives.
ReplyDeleteIt's a real tragedy that such things happen, certainly because it's a matter which could have been prevented.
The amount of money that the family received can never compensate the loss of their family.
As Daphne said; no one stood up and took their responsibility for it. That's a real defamation.
Elien Lombaert 3RP2
This never should of happened. It's a shame that one mistake has led to the death of many people. The mechanic didn't make a mistake on purpose so manslaughter is quite a heayy verdict for this man.
ReplyDeleteEventually the families of all victims are the ones who suffer the most because of this tragedy so they should be recompensated in a way by those who are responsible. That's the only right thing there is left to do.