Latest news with #SolarOrb
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Families gather at site of Germanwings plane crash to mark 10 years since tragedy
Hundreds of people have gathered to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Germanwings plane crash that killed 150. Family members of the victims travelled to the scene of the crash in the French Alps on Monday morning, where flight 9525 was brought down by co-pilot Andreas Lubitz on the afternoon of 24 March 2015. The aircraft had taken off from Barcelona, Spain just hours before, bound for Dusseldorf, Germany. READ MORE: Man forced to choke his own dog with his forearms during horrific 45-minute mauling READ MORE: Major Madeleine McCann update as prime suspect Christian Brueckner may walk free in just days All 150 of those on board lost their lives in the tragedy, including a group of 16 students and two teachers from a German high school and a 37-year-old mother from Manchester, along with her seven-month-old baby. Other victims included a pair of acclaimed German opera singers and a member of an Argentine rock band. Most of those killed originated from Germany and Spain, however the death toll included people from 17 different countries in total. While relatives and close friends paid their respects at the site of the incident, hundreds gathered in the western German town of Haltern am See to remember the 18-member school group who lost their lives on the same day a decade ago. Christian Krahl, principal of the Joseph Konig high school, remarked on the importance of remembering the tragedy. 'We want to be close to those who are infinitely sad to this day,' he told German news agency DPA. The town's mayor, Andreas Stegemann, told the agency that the tragedy is a permanent part of the town's history. Wreaths were laid at the town cemetery, where some of the students are buried alongside a memorial which resembles a schoolroom. Elsewhere, in the French village of Le Vernet - which is located near the crash site - Carsten Spohr, the chief executive of Germanwings parent Lufthansa, laid flowers for the victims. Commemorations were also carried out at Barcelona airport and Dusseldorf airport. A book of condolences was made available at the latter to allow employees and travellers to write tributes. When investigators revealed that the crash was caused by the actions of the flight's co-pilot, many of the victim's loved ones reacted with shock and anger. It was later revealed that Lubitz had suffered from depression and sleeplessness in the months leading up to the incident, but was deemed fit to fly by his employer. A five-meter "Solar Orb" was erected at the site of the crash in 2017. Made up of 149 gilded aluminium plates, it is meant to represent all those who died on board except the co-pilot.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Victims of Germanwings crash in French Alps commemorated, 10 years on
Relatives of the 150 people killed in a Germanwings airplane crash in the French Alps marked the 10th anniversary of the tragedy on Monday. Germanwings Flight 9525 was en route from Barcelona to the western German city of Dusseldorf on March 24, 2015, when it crashed near the commune of Le Vernet, killing all on board. Investigators believe the co-pilot, who suffered from a mental disorder, deliberately crashed the plane to take his own life. Among the victims were a group of school students from the town of Haltern am See, located in the western Ruhr region, Germany's former industrial heartland. Students and teachers at the Joseph König secondary school laid down white roses on Monday to commemorate the 16 students and two teachers killed in the crash. A moment of silence was held in Haltern at 10:41 am (0941 GMT) to mark the exact time of the crash 10 years ago. Pastoral counsellor Stephanie Rüsweg said the tragedy serves as a reminder that "the time we are given is a gift." "Tell your loved ones today that you love them," she told students gathered at the school. "This is how life triumphs over death. This is how love triumphs over death." Haltern Mayor Andreas Stegemann added: "We will not forget you." In a post on X, the premier of the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia - where Haltern is located - said Germany is "united in remembering those who lost their lives 10 years ago." "We will honour their memory," wrote Hendrik Wüst. Many relatives have also travelled to the site of the tragedy in France to attend a memorial to commemorate the victims. A 5-metre-high memorial, known as the Solar Orb, was installed at the site in 2017, made up of 149 panels - one for each of the victims, excluding the co-pilot.
