French Seek Manslaughter Charges in Concorde Crash

Continental, others could be charged over 2000 accident that killed 113
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 12, 2008 7:50 AM CDT
French Seek Manslaughter Charges in Concorde Crash
French investigators search for debris July 25, 2000 in the fields near the Air France Concorde crash outside of Paris. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff killing all 109 people on board, mostly German tourists, and 4 people on the ground when the charter flight went down in the first-ever crash...   (Getty Images)

A public prosecutor in France is calling for Continental Airlines to face manslaughter charges over the 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde that killed 113 people, Reuters reports. The supersonic jet crashed minutes after takeoff when a burst tire sent debris into an engine. A French investigation found that the tire was shredded by a piece of metal left on the runway by a Continental aircraft.

The crash killed everyone on the New York-bound jet, as well as four people on the ground. The prosecutor also recommended charges against a French engineer involved in the Concorde's development, the former head of France's civil aviation authority, and two Continental Airlines workers. A judge is expected to decide within weeks if charges will be brought. (More Concorde stories.)

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