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Official association press release

AH5017-Ensemble: judgment in the Swiftair trial expected on September 28, 2026

Three weeks before the announced decision, the AH5017-Ensemble association recalled the facts and the status of the judicial proceedings.

Press release dated September 8, 2026

Decision announced for September 28

The Paris Criminal Court is due to deliver its decision on September 28, 2026, in the trial of airline Swiftair, prosecuted for involuntary manslaughter following the crash of Air Algérie flight AH5017. The trial was held from March 9 to 26, 2026.

Reminder of the AH5017 crash

On July 24, 2014, Air Algérie flight AH5017, from Ouagadougou to Algiers, crashed near Gossi, Mali. The McDonnell Douglas MD-83 was operated by Swiftair and chartered by Air Algérie. All 110 passengers and six crew members lost their lives.

What the safety investigation report recalled

The press release refers to the final report published on April 22, 2016. It notably describes:

the engine anti-icing system not being activated;
the probable obstruction of sensors by ice crystals;
a reduction in engine thrust;
a delayed response to the decrease in airspeed;
the failure to recover the aircraft after the stall.

The safety investigation was not intended to establish fault or determine criminal liability. That assessment belongs to the courts.

Three weeks of hearings in Paris

The hearings notably examined the training and recurrent training of the crew hired by Swiftair under seasonal contracts, and the possible causal link between the alleged shortcomings and the accident.

Swiftair disputed its liability and argued that the accident resulted from a combination of external factors. The prosecution requested that the company be found responsible and fined €225,000, described as the maximum penalty available in these proceedings.

Families awaiting the decision

After twelve years of proceedings, the families of the 116 victims are awaiting the court’s answer. The association said it would communicate again after the judgment is delivered and its exact content has been reviewed with its legal advisers.

About AH5017-Ensemble

AH5017-Ensemble is an association formed by families and relatives of the victims of Air Algérie flight AH5017. It is a civil party in the judicial proceedings concerning the crash.

Official source

FENVAC publishes the AH5017-Ensemble press release and provides access to the original French PDF.

Read the press release on the FENVAC website

This independent memorial website faithfully summarizes the press release and provides translations for consultation. If wording differs, the original French document prevails.