Rio de Janeiro paid tribute to Air France Flight 447′s victims

A ceremony restricted to about 500 families and a few guests remembered Saturday Air France flight 447′s accident that took place in June a few hours after it took off for Paris.

Among those present at the ceremony were the State French Minister, Alain Joyandet, and Air France Chairman, Jean-Cyril Spinetta. In addition, the victim’s families who came from Europe especially for the ceremony, travelled on a flight chartered by the French company.

“It was a ceremony full of dignity and fervor that allowed families to express their grief,” said Joyandet to reporters after the tributes that lasted almost 2 hours. On the occasion, it was also opened a trail made by a panel of glass of several feet on which there are 228 engraved swallows, symbolizing the 228 victims which seem to fly over the ocean.

The victims were people from 32 nationalities, including 72 French and 58 Brazilians.

The ceremony took place at the Mirante of Leblon, where there’s an impressive view of the sea and the beach. The access road was closed for police vehicles.

The ceremony was simple: an ecumenical event, a reading of sacred texts, tributes read by five family members, and a song written by one of the victim’s wife. According to one participant, the reading of the 228 names a moving moment.