French court awards damages for 2009 Yemenia plane crash

MASHA MACPHERSON and BARBARA SURK
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — A French court has ordered a Yemeni airline to pay damages to the lone survivor of a 2009 airplane crash in the Indian Ocean and to the families of 65 French citizens who died. The aging Airbus A310 operated by Yemenia airways crashed about 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the coast of Comoros coast while attempting to land in strong wind. A total of 152 people were killed. Yemenia was charged in the Paris court with “manslaughter and unintentional injuries.” During a civil trial that ended in June, the company denied responsibility. But the court ordered Yemenia on Wednesday to pay 225,000 euros ($237,000) to the survivor and to the families of the French victims.