Brazil court orders Air France to compensate family of Rio-Paris air crash victim

AFP - Air France has been ordered to pay 727,000 dollars (540,000 euros) to relatives of a Brazilian family that died in the airline's deadliest air accident, a Rio-Paris flight that came down in the Atlantic in June 2009.

A Rio de Janeiro court late Monday awarded the sum to the parents and grandparents of a 31-year-old Brazilian woman, Luciana Clarkson Seba, who perished along with her husband and parents-in-law in the accident.

The crash, which was partially blamed on the aircraft's malfunctioning speed sensors, claimed the lives of all 228 people on board, of more than 30 nationalities. Most of those killed were French, Brazilian and German.

Air France, through its insurers, has made compensation payments to the relatives of the passengers and crew, but continues to defend itself from litigation in Brazil.

The airline's press service in Brazil declined Tuesday to give its reaction to the Rio judgement, which could open the way for other lawsuits.

"The airline does not comment on court decisions and will not issue any statement," a spokesperson told AFP.

On top of the damages for suffering, the Rio court ordered Air France to pay Clarkson Seba's mother 3,000 dollars a month.