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When the aircraft was later instructed to “descend,” the pilots miscommunicated their position and continued their descent towards the terrain, believing that they were clear. Seconds before impact, as alerts began to resonate in the cockpit, the pilots fought to regain control but were too late.

The Aftermath of the Crash

The devastating impact at a ravine claimed the lives of all 180 people onboard—173 passengers and seven crew members. The tragedy marked a grim milestone in aviation history, becoming the second deadliest air disaster on French soil and the deadliest crash involving the MD-80 model.