Airbus A320 crashed in Southern France
 

I am just hearing reports - will update when further news

Barcelona GermanWings to Duselldorf

Apparently a A320 germanwing down next to Digne south French Alps

142 pax plus 2 pilots plus 4 crew

made it onto Sky News now

L'actualité politique, OM, sorties, sports à Marseille, Aix, Avignon, Vaucluse et Alpes : La Provence main page

A320 down in southern France?
 

Bad news indeed... Any unusual weather in the area?

Flight: GWI16G BCN-DUS

VS -3500fpm when lost off FR and that was pretty constant all the way from cruise.

GWI 18G

D-AIPX

ex-DLH airframe.

Is that the normal route to go so far to the right?

D-AIPX - Germanwings - Aircraft info and flight history - Flightradar24

Yes, that was the filed route from the CFMU profile.

Helicopters have seen debris in area. According to reports.

Reports of a mayday call at 10:47
No special weather just intermittant showers.

Challenging terrain for recovery

FR24 tends to fudge the data. Descent rate from cruise alt varied from -5000fpm to -2500fpm. Higher descent rate at higher altitude.

waether radar shows some rain in W Switzerland/E France but nothing exceptional at all

Built 1990. 24.3 years old.

Can you explain that for us non professionals?

Méolans-Revel
 

The aircraft is reported crashed near the "Méolans-Revel" village at about 2400m height, near Barcelonnette town
French President has announced that there is no survivors.
Debris have been found.
Very difficult access area.

Some more info (in French) - from "l'Express" updated live...

here

MSN - Manufacturers Serial Number. This was the 147h A320 manufactured. Equivalent to chassis number in car. Not really that significant information as age of airliner has been published already. However it is probably one of the older A320s still flying. Operator has excellent safety record though and all commercial aircraft are stripped back to basics every 4 years and rebuilt.