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Germanwings crash: search resumes for victims as leaders pay respects Germanwings crash: first victims named as search resumes
(34 minutes later)
Hundreds of emergency workers have resumed the search for the victims of Germanwings flight 4U9525 on Wednesday as the mystery over its crash endured. Tributes were paid on Wednesday to the first victims of Germanwings flight 4U9525 to be named as search teams and investigators resumed work at the crash site high in the French Alps.
Under a blanket of cloud and amid freezing temperatures, more than 300 police and 380 firefighters sought to find both bodies and clues amid pulverised wreckage spread over a wide area of the southern French Alps near the village of Seyne. Two Australians, Carol Friday and her son Greig, were named as among the 150 dead by the country’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop. Earlier, Barcelona’s opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu , confirmed that the singers Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner, and her husband and baby, were among the dead.
So far French air investigators have recovered at least one black box which it is hoped will provide crucial information about why the Airbus A320 flying from Barcelona to Düsseldorf crashed, killing all 150 on board. Colombia’s foreign ministry named Maria del Pilar Tejada and Luis Eduardo Medrano as two of the dead.
The largest numbers of those killed were 67 German and 45 Spanish nationals. Britain’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond said it was “likely” there were some British nationals on board, but was yet to confirm how many. A Spanish woman believed to be living in Manchester and her baby son were understood to have been among those on board.
Two Argentinians, three Mexicans, two Japanese, one Turkish national, one Belgian and one Dutch passenger have been confirmed as being among those killed in what Germanwings described as a “tragic accident”.
France’s interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, told RTL radio on Wednesday that the cockpit voice recorder found on Tuesday had been damaged but could still be used to find information. He said all options must be looked at to explain why the Airbus A320 crashed but a terrorist attack was not the most likely scenario.
Investigators said they were puzzled as to why the crew did not send out a mayday or distress signal as flight 4U9525 rapidly lost altitude for eight minutes, or why the pilot did not change course to avoid crashing into a rocky ravine at around 430mph (700kmh).
Related: Path of Germanwings flight 4U9525
In the last 10 minutes of the flight there was total radio silence from the crew of the Barcelona–Düsseldorf flight operated by Lufthansa’s low-cost subsidiary.
Ségolène Royal, a French cabinet minister, said the seconds between 10.30am and 10.31am are considered vital to the investigation into the crash. She said the pilot stopped responding after 10.31am.
The crash happened at around 11am Tuesday local time in calm weather. Unverified information from plane-tracking websites appeared to rule out an explosion or a mid-air stall, both of which would cause a much faster descent. Experts said planes such as the Airbus would be able to glide for some distance in the case of total engine failure.
Emergency workers resumed their search for the victims on Wednesday under a blanket of cloud and amid freezing temperatures. More than 300 police and 380 firefighters sought to find both bodies and clues amid pulverised wreckage spread over a wide area of the southern French Alps near the village of Seyne.
On Tuesday afternoon, the French president, François Hollande, his German counterpart, Angela Merkel, and the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, are expected to reach the scene to pay their respects. A makeshift chapel has been set-up in Seyne-les-Alpes and some family members of those who died are expected to arrive.On Tuesday afternoon, the French president, François Hollande, his German counterpart, Angela Merkel, and the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, are expected to reach the scene to pay their respects. A makeshift chapel has been set-up in Seyne-les-Alpes and some family members of those who died are expected to arrive.
Scores of rooms and a holiday centre in the area have been set aside for relatives and more than 50 specialists have been assigned to take care of them.Scores of rooms and a holiday centre in the area have been set aside for relatives and more than 50 specialists have been assigned to take care of them.
But such was the high-impact of the crash that is thought it could take days or even a week for the victims’ remains, and the crucial clues from the wreckage, to be retrieved.But such was the high-impact of the crash that is thought it could take days or even a week for the victims’ remains, and the crucial clues from the wreckage, to be retrieved.
Gilbert Sauvan, the president of the general council for the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, described the scene to reporters: “Everything is pulverised,” he said. “The largest pieces of debris are the size of a small car.”Gilbert Sauvan, the president of the general council for the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, described the scene to reporters: “Everything is pulverised,” he said. “The largest pieces of debris are the size of a small car.”
Governments around the world have faced the difficult task of informing family members of the deceased about their deaths, as further details emerged of the names and nationalities of the 150 people killed. Merkel is expected to arrive at the site at about 2pm. Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was flown over the site on Tuesday and described it as “a picture of horror”.
Two Colombians, two Argentinians, two Australians, 67 Germans, 45 Spaniards, three Mexicans, two Japanese, one Turkish national, one Belgian and one Dutch passenger have now been confirmed as being among those killed in what Germanwings described as a “tragic accident”. The west-German town of Haltern is in mourning after 16 students, in grade 10, and two teachers from Joseph Koenig high school were confirmed to have died. They were on their way home from a Spanish exchange trip.
Britain’s foreign secretary, Philip Hammond said “it is likely there were some British nationals” on board, but was yet to confirm how many. “This is surely the blackest day in the history of our town,” Haltern’s mayor, Bodo Klimpel, told reporters on Tuesday evening, as mourners gathered at the school to light candles and console each other. “This is pretty much the worst thing you can imagine.”
Merkel is expected to arrive at the site around 2pm. Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was flown over the site on Tuesday, describing it as “a picture of horror”.
The west-German town of Haltern is in mourning after 16 students, in grade 10, and two teachers from Joseph Koenig High School were confirmed to have perished in the tragedy. They were on their way home from a Spanish exchange trip.
“This is surely the blackest day in the history of our town,” its mayor, Bodo Klimpel, told reporters on Tuesday evening, as mourners gathered at the school to light candles and console each other.
“This is pretty much the worst thing you can imagine.”
Rajoy, has declared three days of mourning in Spain for the victims.Rajoy, has declared three days of mourning in Spain for the victims.
Barcelona’s opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, confirmed Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner, who had performed in their production of Richard Wagner’s Siegfried, died in the crash. Their series of performance dates at the theatre had ended on Monday. A statement on behalf of the family of the Australian victims was read by Bishop to parliament house. It said they were “crippled with sadness”.
In Australia the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, confirmed citizens Carol Friday and her son, Greig Friday, were among the dead. “Carol and Greig were enjoying a few weeks holiday together at the start of his European stay,” Bishop said. “They were both extraordinary and exceptional people who were loved by many, who they loved in return.”
She read a statement on behalf of their family to parliament house, which said they were “crippled with sadness”. In its latest update, Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, said telephone hotlines had been established for passengers’ relatives. “Everyone at Germanwings and Lufthansa is deeply shocked and saddened by these events,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the passengers and crew members.”
“Carol and Greig were enjoying a few weeks holiday together at the start of his European stay,” Bishop said.
“They were both extraordinary and exceptional people who were loved by many, who they loved in return.”
In their latest update Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, said telephone hotlines had been established for passengers’ relatives . “Everyone at Germanwings and Lufthansa is deeply shocked and saddened by these events,” the statement said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the passengers and crew members.”