Italian Military Jet
 

An Italian military Jet, MM7168 was squawking 7700, literally a couple of minutes before the Airbus came down in the same area.

Pure speculation obviously, but I suspect 7168 was the source of the Airbus distress alert.

very experienced captain prev from LH 10000hrs with 6000 on type

a/c joined GW in 2001 from LH

No distress call from crew cannot be confirmed - contradictory and conflicting reports

source germanwings ceo press conf CGN

GWI press conference: aircraft was one minute at cruise level before it descended, descend duration was eight minutes. Last routine check of the aircraft was last night in DUS by lufthansa maintenance (24 hour check), last C check was in summer 2013.

The captain was flying for more than 10 years for lufthansa and germanwings, over 6000 hours experience on type.

@Evanelpus

That would be why ATC declared the emergency... uncontactable with an unusual and unauthorised decent?

terrain
 

worth noting that the average height in the district is around 3140ft .. the terrain ranges from around 2990ft to about 9650ft

GWI confirms that a/c had latest software and computers after LH incident

"An Italian military Jet, MM7168 was squawking 7700, literally a couple of minutes before the Airbus came down in the same area."

Where did this info come from ?

There are a number of sites on the internet that instantly 'hear' a 7700 and put out messages to subscribers. None have done so today for this flight..

More from the press conference
 

Germanwings chief pilot, asked about the A321 iced sensors incident that was making headlines here lately (see thread "Iced AoA sensors send A321 into deep dive"): The sensors in question had been replaced with newer models in the A320 that crashed.

Well, check back through FR24. MM7168 at 09.35 (GMT) shouted 7700 near the alps.

This is going to be one very hard SAR mission, the terrain overthere is extreme rough, with almost no roads going in, and at this moment of the year lots and lots of snow.

french authorities are reporting wreckage at 2700m (8850ft)
CFIT after a decompression event?

As I pointed out earlier , the "event" took place over Toulon around 0931 ...nothing to do with the Italian a/c

Based on official statements released so far this is what the approximate area of the accident site looks like: Panoramio - Photo of Col de l'Estrop, vue sur les Séolane.

Press Conference had no real news - just a holding statement really - promised they'd get back when they knew something solid.

Main priority is handling the famillies right now

Does anyone have a definitive location yet? BBC et al are shifting their reported position. Started as Digne then Meolans-Revel now Seyne - les- Alpes

From the BC:

Suggests that at least one engine was running.

French PM reporting Helicopter has landed near crash site and found no survivors

The FR24 alert went out at a similar time. The miltary aircraft was just north of Trieste though. I saw the alert this morning. Could very well have been coincidence though. Could have very well confused this squawk with the Airbus.

According to Sky News a few moments ago, everybody's worst fears realised, ie. Initial heli overflight of the crash site has revealed no survivors:( .
What might lead us to suspect an inflight catastrophic event would be the fact that there was no mayday call in well over 10 mins of (fairly) rapid descent. Further, there appears not to have been any deviation in heading which seems pretty inconceivable had the crew been conscious and trying to fly the aircraft.
Grim indeed...