No survivors in crash of Germanwings jet carrying 150; black box recovered
Lori Hinnant and Claude Paris, The Associated Press
Published Tuesday, March 24, 2015 6:58AM EDT
Last Updated Tuesday, March 24, 2015 6:54PM EDT
SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France -- A Germanwings jet carrying 150 people from Barcelona to Duesseldorf slammed into a remote section of the French Alps on Tuesday, sounding like an avalanche as it scattered pulverized debris across a rocky mountain and down its steep ravines. All aboard were assumed killed.
The pilots sent out no distress call and had lost radio contact with their control centre, France's aviation authority said, deepening the mystery over the A320's mid-flight crash after a surprise 8-minute descent.
"The site is a picture of horror. The grief of the families and friends is immeasurable. We must now stand together. We are united in our great grief," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement after being flown over the crash scene and briefed by French authorities.
The crash left officials and families across Europe reeling in shock. Sobbing, grieving relatives at both airports were led away by airport workers and crisis counsellors. One German town was rent with sorrow after losing 16 high school students coming back from an exchange program in Spain.
"This is pretty much the worst thing you can imagine," a visibly rattled Haltern Mayor Bodo Klimpel said at a hastily called press conference.
After night fell on the hard-to-reach site, French authorities called off the search and helicopters stopped flying over the area.
About 10 gendarmes will spend the night at the crash site to guard it, and search operations will resume at daybreak, Lt. Col. Jean-Marc Meninchini of the regional police rescue service, told The Associated Press in the mountain town of Seyne-les-Alpes. Recovery operations are expected to last a week, he said.
More: No survivors in crash of Germanwings Airbus A320 carrying 150; black box recovered | CTV News
Quite horrific. Terrible tragedy.
Lori Hinnant and Claude Paris, The Associated Press
Published Tuesday, March 24, 2015 6:58AM EDT
Last Updated Tuesday, March 24, 2015 6:54PM EDT
SEYNE-LES-ALPES, France -- A Germanwings jet carrying 150 people from Barcelona to Duesseldorf slammed into a remote section of the French Alps on Tuesday, sounding like an avalanche as it scattered pulverized debris across a rocky mountain and down its steep ravines. All aboard were assumed killed.
The pilots sent out no distress call and had lost radio contact with their control centre, France's aviation authority said, deepening the mystery over the A320's mid-flight crash after a surprise 8-minute descent.
"The site is a picture of horror. The grief of the families and friends is immeasurable. We must now stand together. We are united in our great grief," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement after being flown over the crash scene and briefed by French authorities.
The crash left officials and families across Europe reeling in shock. Sobbing, grieving relatives at both airports were led away by airport workers and crisis counsellors. One German town was rent with sorrow after losing 16 high school students coming back from an exchange program in Spain.
"This is pretty much the worst thing you can imagine," a visibly rattled Haltern Mayor Bodo Klimpel said at a hastily called press conference.
After night fell on the hard-to-reach site, French authorities called off the search and helicopters stopped flying over the area.
About 10 gendarmes will spend the night at the crash site to guard it, and search operations will resume at daybreak, Lt. Col. Jean-Marc Meninchini of the regional police rescue service, told The Associated Press in the mountain town of Seyne-les-Alpes. Recovery operations are expected to last a week, he said.
More: No survivors in crash of Germanwings Airbus A320 carrying 150; black box recovered | CTV News
Quite horrific. Terrible tragedy.