French court acquits Air France, Airbus over 2009 Rio-Paris crash

Air France and plane manufacturer Airbus were acquitted Monday over the 2009 crash of a Rio-Paris flight after a French court ruled their errors could not be proven as the disaster’s cause.

While the ruling was expected after prosecutors recommended to the Paris court not to seek a conviction, it is still a huge blow for families of victims who have waged a 14-year campaign for justice.

The two France-based companies went on trial in October to determine their responsibility for the worst aviation disaster in Air France’s history, which left all 228 people on board flight AF447 dead.