Tragedy of Flight 4U9525: Distraught families gather at German airport after low-cost airline plane carrying 150 passengers and crew crashes in French Alps

Around 150 people are feared dead after a plane crashed in the French Alps.

Flight 4U9525 disappeared from radar around 45 minutes after leaving Barcelona in Spain for Dusseldorf in Germany at 10am local time.

It is believed to have come down in the Digne area of southern France.

French President Francois Hollande confirmed the crash and said he expects there to be "no survivors".

Reports suggest there were 144 passengers and six crew on board.

1:41 pm

'Emergency, emergency' - last reported contact from pilots

Flightpath: The plane came down in a remote part of the French Alps

 

The final words from the pilots on board the Germanwings flight were 'emergency , emergency'.

It has been reported that the call came through just 45 minutes after the Airbus A320 took off from Barcelona on its way to Dusseldorf.

Earlier, the Airbus was in contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Marseille, saying: "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday"

According to the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAE) they also received a distress FA, which happens when a plane disappears from radars, or blacks out and all communications are cut with the cockpit.

1:28 pm

'Group of 20 German schoolchildren on exchange trip among dead'

More tragic news filtering through via the Spanish press.

Reports suggest a group of around 20 German schoolchildren, who had been on an exchange trip in Catalonia, were on the plane.

Meanwhile, French newspaper Le Parisien is reporting some comments from an eyewitness who heard the crash from a nearby village.

The resident said. "This morning I heard a huge thud and then I saw several fighter jets fly over the village.

"The initial sound I heard was like an avalanche or like the sound of dynamite that they blow up to cause an avalanche.”

"Then around noon I looked out the window and I saw a column of smoke rising into the air. From the centre of the village to the crash site must be around 3km. But we are in the mountains and there’s a lot of snow.

"At the moment there are helicopters flying over overhead."

1:19 pm

Tearful relatives escorted to private room at Barcelona airport

Reuters

Airport staff escort people believed to be family members at El Prat airport

Relatives and loved ones have been arriving at El Prat airport in Barcelona where the flight left this morning.

Many are clearly distressed and are being led to a private room by Germanwings staff as they await information.

There are similar scenes at Dussedorf airport where the flight was due to arrive.