Spain’s Swiftair was fined ۲۲۵,۰۰۰ euros ($۲۵۶,۰۰۰) in France for corporate manslaughter over the ۲۰۱۴ Air Algerie disaster in Mali.
Published On ۲۸ Sep ۲۰۲۶
A Paris court has found Swiftair guilty of corporate manslaughter over the ۲۰۱۴ Air Algerie crash that killed ۱۱۶ people in northern Mali.
On Monday, a French judge ordered the Spanish airline to pay the maximum fine in France of ۲۲۵,۰۰۰ euros ($۲۵۶,۰۰۰) for corporate manslaughter after a three-week trial earlier this year.
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Air Algerie Flight AH۵۰۱۷ was flying from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, to Algiers, Algeria when it crashed less than an hour after takeoff in July ۲۰۱۴, killing everyone on board.
The Swiftair-owned McDonnell Douglas MD-۸۳ was operated by the Spanish airline on behalf of the Algerian carrier.
Investigators said the aircraft went into a stall when it was hit by ice as an anti-icing system remained switched off.
On Monday, the court said “negligence” in Swiftair’s training with icy conditions had played a role.
The captain had failed to complete an adequate proficiency check, while the crew lacked the required refresher flights following a period of inactivity.
“This ruling comes as a relief to families who have been fighting for more than ۱۲ years for justice to be done,” said Sebastien Busy, a lawyer representing a group of relatives.
The airline has ۱۰ days to appeal the ruling.
Swiftair attempted to have the trial dropped on the grounds that a Spanish court previously dismissed the case without any charges.
In a statement to AFP, Swiftair reiterated that the trial should not have gone ahead and that safety regulations had been followed.
The ruling marks the second time an airline has been found guilty of corporate manslaughter in France after Air France and Airbus were both found guilty earlier this year over the ۲۰۰۹ crash of a jetliner flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. The crash killed all ۲۲۸ people on board, marking the worst aviation disaster in French history.
