"We have to think of the victims and their families and their friends," Merkel said.
- 9:10 a.m.: Spanish Airports and Air Navigation, the air transportation agency for Spain's government, tweeted that an area in Barcelona's airport is being set aside "for the relatives of the victims of the plane accident in France."
- 9:04 a.m. ET: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that he's been in contact with his French counterpart and "we will cooperate closely."
"I already want to thank the French government, which has acted immediately and prudently," Steinmeier said. "In these difficult hours, our thoughts are with those who have to fear that their close ones are among the passengers and crew."
- 8:59 a.m. ET: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said there were a "high number of Spaniards, Germans and Turks" on the doomed Germanwings flight.
The Prime Minister tweeted that he will return to Madrid and put together a "crisis team" that will head to France to work with French and German authorities on the investigation.
Full story:
A Germanwings Airbus A320 plane carrying at least 148 people crashed Tuesday in the foothills of the Alps in southeastern France, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told reporters.
Valls said he fears those aboard the flight from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany -- 142 passengers and six crew members -- may be dead.
French President Francois Hollande also said no survivors were expected. The plane crashed near Digne-les-Bains, in the Alpes de Haute Provence region, Valls said.
"The conditions of the accident are not yet clear but lead us to believe there will be no survivors," Hollande said.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said there was a "high number of Spaniards, Germans and Turks" on the doomed Germanwings flight.
The Prime Minister tweeted that he will return to Madrid, put together a "crisis team" and send a minister to France.
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