French court awards more than 30 million € compensation over 2009 Yemenia Airlines accident …and highlights few legal issues on international air carrier liability

The French court of first instance (TGI) of Aix-en-Province has awarded damages of over 30 million Euros to the families of 70 passengers, who died at the crash of Yemenia airlines flight IY626 off shore from the Comoros islands on 30 June 2009. This is the second judgment on the case, the first one being rendered by the TGI Bobigny, which awarded about 7 million Euros to the families of three passengers. Some factual and legal parameters of the case are of great interest.