In France, Two Companies & 8 People Face Manslaughter Charges Over 2003 Accident

It was visitors day at the shipyard. People came to see the world’s largest oceanliner, the Queen Mary 2. The day ended in tragedy when 16 people were killed and 29 were injured when a walkway collapsed.

Now 8 people and the two companies involved in building the walkway are on trial for manslaughter. If convicted, the people face 3 years in prison and fines of up to $63,000 each. The companies face much larger fines.

I haven’t seen any details of the cause of the failure of the gangway, but this prosecution once again raises the question, do criminal charges improve safety?