On January 8, 2001 three families whose loved ones were killed in the July 2000 Air France Concorde crash filed suit against seven companies associated with the crash, including Air France and Continental Airlines. Investigators believe that a piece of metal fell off a Continental DC-10 that departed the Paris airport immediately ahead of the Concorde. The lawsuit claims that the errant metal piece pierced the Concorde's tire as it was racing towards takeoff. "This was a tragic accident and it appears a number of people were negligent or reckless or both. The families want them to accept responsibility for their actions, or non-actions" said the attorney representing the families.