Italian owner of the Erika, Giuseppe Sav...

Paris, FRANCE: Italian owner of the Erika, Giuseppe Savarese (C), who answers charges of negligence and jeopardizing the lives of the 26 Indian crew members of the Erika that broke in two in heavy seas and later sank, arrives with his lawyers at the Paris court 19 February 2007 for the first trial in France over a major environmental disaster to decide whether Total and other parties bear responsibility for the massive oil spill from the Erika shipwreck in 1999. Fifteen parties including Total, the tanker owners, a charter company, a vessel classification firm and maritime authorities are in the dock on various charges of endangering lives, causing pollution or failing to respond to the disaster. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP via Getty Images)