Families seek truth as Airbus and Air France face crash trial

Workers unload debris belonging to the crashed Air France flight AF447 from the Brazilian navy’s Constitution Frigate in the port of Recife, north-east of Brazil on June 14 2009 (Eraldo Peres/AP)

The families of the 228 people killed in 2009 when their storm-tossed Air France flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic finally have a chance at justice after more than a decade of legal battles.

Aviation industry heavyweights Airbus and Air France are charged with manslaughter in a trial that opens on Monday over the crash of Flight 447 on June 1 2009.