By Andrea Thomas
BERLIN--German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that she
was deeply shocked by the news that the co-pilot of Germanwings
Flight 9525 appears to have deliberately crashed the plane after
locking himself alone inside the cockpit.
"Today, news has reached us that gives this tragedy a new,
seemingly incomprehensible dimension," said Ms. Merkel. "I am hit
by this news probably exactly as most people are. This is something
that goes beyond any power of imagination. We don't yet know the
full background and that's why it is and remains so important to
continue with investigations until each aspect has been
investigated thoroughly."
She reiterated the promise she made with the leaders of France
and Spain on Wednesday that their governments would do everything
they could to help throw light on all aspects of the crash in which
150 people died.
The co-pilot, identified as 28-year-old Andreas Lubitz, grew up
in the German town of Montabaur.
French prosecutors said the pilot was intentionally locked
outside cockpit minutes before the Airbus A320 crashed in the
French Alps.
German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said these findings
are "plausible."
Write to Andrea Thomas at andrea.thomas@wsj.com