Germanwings A320 believed crashed
 

Unconfirmed reports that a Germanwings Airbus A320 has crashed in the French Alps enroute from Barcelona to Düsseldorf.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32030270

Stress that, at this stage, neither Germanwings nor Airbus are confirming a crash despite both being aware of the reports.

Seems the flight disappeared from flightradar24 at 6,800ft at 0939Z today (8.39pm AEDT).

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...h-live-5390012

Aircraft appears to be D-AIPX (MSN 147 & built in 1990).

Planespotters.net already have the aircraft as "written off".

http://www.planespotters.net/Product...ermanwings.php

Seems a little premature at this stage!?

I have to say, I also have issues with the tweet published by flightradar24... supposing the aircraft hasn't crashed and lands at DUS (or anywhere) safely. Is it okay to create panic based on information that essentially relies on antennas on people's homes? Shouldn't a website such as FR24 contact the authorities as its first action and leave it at that?

Unfortunately it's not looking good as French President Hollande is speaking to the media, so it looks confirmed.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-2...es-say/6345634

Update: BBC are saying a "mayday distress call was transmitted and debris has been found at 2500 m altitude in alps"

Condolences to the families of the passengers and crew.

from abc news

http://www.flightradar24.com/data/ai...-aipx/#5d42675

From Germanwings Facebook Page

UPDATE: We must unfortunately acknowledge that flight 4U9525 flight from BCN to DUS across the French Alps is killed in an accident. It is a plane of the type A320. There were 144 passengers and 6 crew members on board. Lufthansa and Germanwings have connected a telephone hotline: on the free phone number 0800 11 33 55 77 relatives of passengers can sign up and be looked after there. All employees of Germanwings and Lufthansa are in deep sympathy with their thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the passengers and crew members.

During an interview

Reps were unable to answer the press to what caused the flight to be delayed 5 hours from departure, 8 hours after the crash.

No distress call
 

There was no distress call, but reports this morning state that because the a/c descended from 38,000 to 6.000 feet in 8 minutes, French ATC issued the distress alert when the a/c disappeared off their radar at that altitude and could not be contacted. Oddly there was no radio communication from the a/c during that descent, suggesting that radio failed and/or that crew were incapacitated in some way.

Sadly two Australians are reported to have been on board.

Video from the crash site shows debris scattered over a large area, and a piece of fuselage with three windows, the aircraft registration and German flag, one of the only larger objects at the scene (and a small section of the rudder/tail).

Such sad news to have this confirmed. RIP to those onboard, and thoughts and prayers to those left behind. Two Australians and a group of school students...