Appeal sought after judges ditch Air France 2009 crash probe

PARIS – The Paris prosecutor has appealed the decision to drop a decade-long investigation over the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

Air France and Airbus were charged with manslaughter over the crash in the Atlantic Ocean, which killed all 228 people aboard and led to new aircraft safety regulations.

But French investigating judges decided this week to drop the case, suggesting they consider the pilots were at fault and that there wasn’t enough evidence to send the companies to trial.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said it submitted an appeal Friday.

Families of victims also said they were appealing the decision. Sophia Seco, director of victims’ group FENVAC, told The Associated Press on Friday that the end of the investigation was “absolutely unacceptable.”