SEYNE ALPES: Investigators on Wednesday made their first breakthrough in the probe into the crash of an airliner in the French Alps, as President Francois Hollande vowed everything would be done to explain the tragedy that killed 150 people.

Officials from the BEA crash investigation agency said they had extracted “usable data” from one of the Germanwings Airbus A320’s two “black boxes” found among the debris, with recordings from the cockpit, but still had no explanation for the mysterious crash.

Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel flew over the crash site to see the devastation for themselves before meeting rescue workers outside the crisis centre set up on Tuesday after the worst crash in France in four decades.

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also visited the centre to be briefed on the gruelling rescue operation in difficult mountain terrain where Flight 4U9525 crashed early Tuesday, scattering debris over a wide area.

Buffeted by strong mountain winds, the ashen-faced leaders spent several minutes inspecting a line-up of blue-uniformed rescue workers, chatting intently with the help of interpreters.

“My deepest sympathies with the families and all my thanks for the friendship of the people of this region and in France,” wrote Merkel in a book of condolence.

Grieving relatives were also gathering near the crash site, where a counselling unit has been established.

A further wave of families was expected to arrive Thursday morning aboard two special Lufthansa flights from Spain and Germany.

Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr told reporters the flights would leave for Marseille from Barcelona, departure point of the stricken flight, and Duesseldorf, its destination. Authorities in France said the family members would be taken as close to the crash site as possible.

“We have to understand what happened. We owe it to the families and the countries concerned by the drama,” Hollande told reporters, vowing to shed light on the mystery.

“What has happened is the worst thing that can befall a human being,” said Rajoy.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2015

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