Eight cleared in Queen Mary disaster in France

ST. NAZAIRE, France, Feb. 11 (Reuters) - A French court on Monday cleared eight employees of manslaughter in the collapse in 2003 of a gangway leading to the docked Queen Mary cruise liner, sparking anger among relatives of the 16 people killed.

The accident happened when construction workers and their families crowded on to the gangway during a weekend visit to the luxury ship which was nearing completion in dockyards in the French port of St Nazaire on the Atlantic coast.

The structure collapsed, sending people plunging more than 15 metres (45 feet) to the ground. Apart from those killed, 29 others were injured.

The court in St. Nazaire fined shipbuilders Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and Endel, the firm that assembled the gangway, 177,500 euros ($257,600) each -- less than the 307,500 euros sought by the prosecution.

The two firms have already been ordered to pay out more than 10 million euros in civil suits, of which four million has already been paid.

The court formally recognised that the families of the victims had suffered anguish since the accident.

But the clearing of the eight employees -- four from each of the two firms -- who were accused with their companies of manslaughter and related charges triggered bitter outbursts from relatives.

The prosecution had sought suspended jail sentences of three years and 45,000 euros fine for each of the eight.

"Who killed them then?," Yann Bartolome, son of one of the victims exclaimed. "Did nobody kill them? Nobody? It's a disgrace!," he shouted before storming out of the courtroom.