Continental, Mechanic Convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter in 2000 French Crash
Continental Airlines and one of its mechanics were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in France today for a 2000 Concorde crash near Paris that killed 113 people.
The mechanic received a 15-month suspended sentence and a $2,650 fine in the crash, allegedly caused when a metal strip that had fallen from a Continental plane punctured the Concorde tire and caused a fire, according to stories in the Guardian.Co.UK, the Associated Press and the New York Times. Continental was fined $265,000.
Lawyers for Continental had contended the Concorde plane caught fire before it ran over the metal strip. According to the Times story, criminal indictments are routinely sought in France for transportation accidents, even when evidence of criminal intent or negligence is not clear.
