3 French tourists face up to 5 years in prison in Brazil for their role in a row that turned physical onboard a TAM airliner early yesterday, according to the French consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The 2 men, aged 63 and 60, and 1 woman, aged 54, have been charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft according to the prosecution charge sheet submitted to a judge, according to a consulate diplomat. "It's a serious charge," said the diplomat, who cannot be named because of government policy. Late on Sunday evening, TAM Flight 8054 was scheduled to depart Sao Paulo on International A330 Service to Paris, France. The A330 had been delayed several hours due to a technical problem, and was getting ready to depart in the early morning hours yesterday, when the fight broke out between the 3 tourists and cabin crew. They, and the rest of their group of around 20 elderly French vacationers, who had been heading home after a 2 week Atlantic cruise, panicked at the malfunction and demanded to be put on another flight. It was reported in the Brazilian media that their fear followed the as-yet unexplained June 1 crash of AIR FRANCE Flight 447, an A330 heading from Brazil to France, which killed all 228 passengers and crew. The 3 are expected to be granted bail, but will have to remain in Brazil while the legal proceedings are taking place.
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