Concorde trial starts 10 years after crash
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Tuesday, February 02, 2010
US airline Continental and five individuals have gone on trial in Paris accused of manslaughter over the crash of an Air France Concorde 10 years ago.
Continental and two of its employees are accused of the manslaughter of 109 people on the New York-bound plane - most of them German tourists - and four hotel workers on the ground.
If found guilty, Continental faces a 375,000 euro (326,700 pound) fine and possibly substantial damages, while the men risk 5 years imprisonment and a 75,000 euro fine.
The Concorde, carrying mostly German tourists, caught fire as it roared out of Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport on 25 July 2000 and crashed just minutes later into a nearby hotel.
The trial is expected to run until May 28.