Low-cost airline Ryanair said today it will close its base in the southern French city of Marseille because prosecutors refused to drop a case against it for illegal working practices.

Prosecutors have accused Ryanair of illegal working practices after the Irish airline declared 120 employees in France as working in Ireland.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary had in May threatened to pull out of the Mediterranean city and relocate the operation outside France if the case went ahead.

Marseille has been Ryanair's Mediterranean hub since November 2006, with four aircraft and 120 staff.

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