Families gather to commemorate 10 years since Germanwings plane crash that took their loved ones

Commemorations were held in France, Germany, and Spain to mark the tenth anniversary of the Germanwings plane crash in the French Alps that occurred on March 24, 2015. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 150 people on board when co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately flew the plane into a mountainside. Among the victims were 16 students and two teachers from a high school in Haltern am See, as well as various other individuals from 17 different nationalities. To honor the lives lost, memorials were held at the crash site in the French Alps, as well as in Germany and Spain.

Relatives of the victims visited the crash site near Le Vernet, where several local officials and Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr also paid their respects. In Haltern am See, students placed roses at the Joseph König High School courtyard, where a memorial in the form of a schoolroom stands in tribute to the young lives lost. Wreaths were also laid at the town’s cemetery where some students are buried. Commemorations were also held at airports in Düsseldorf and Barcelona, where a book of condolences was made available for employees and travelers to pay their respects.

The shocking revelation that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed the plane into a mountainside by locking the captain out of the cockpit shocked the world. Lubitz, who had a history of depression, had been deemed fit to fly by both his airline and authorities. In the months leading up to the crash, he had been struggling with insomnia and fears of going blind, but had hidden these struggles from his employer. The crash remains a tragic part of Haltern am See’s history, with Mayor Andreas Stegemann expressing the town’s continued sympathy for the families and questioning why the tragedy occurred.

The crash site in France now features a memorial known as the “Solar Orb,” a 5-meter structure representing the sun and the five continents. The memorial, consisting of 149 gilded aluminum plates to honor all victims except the co-pilot, was erected in 2017. The tragic events of the Germanwings plane crash continue to be remembered through these memorials and commemorations in remembrance of the lives lost in the devastating incident. The crash will forever remain a significant part of the towns and countries affected by the tragedy, as they continue to honor and remember the victims and the impact of the event.