A plane carrying 150 people, including German high school students, crashed in the French Alps in southern France on Tuesday.
The Airbus A320, Flight 4U 9525 operated by Lufthansa-owned company Germanwings, was en route from Barcelona, Spain, to Düsseldorf, Germany.
German media outlets report that about 14 German high school students and two teachers on the way back from an exchange trip were among the 144 passengers. Six crew members were also aboard.
"It's tragic, I'm stunned," Schools Minister for the state of North-Rhine Westphalia Sylvia Löhrmann said in an interview with WDR radio.
Hans-Josef Böing, deputy mayor of the town of Haltern, said the students and teachers from Joseph König high school were booked on the flight and feared they may be crash victims.
"We must fear that that's the case," he said. Haltern has a population of about 38,000.
French President Francois Hollande said the crash was a tragedy.
"The conditions of the accident, which have not yet been clarified, lead us to think there are no survivors," Hollande said, adding that the crash site is difficult to access.
Hollande contacted German Chancellor Angela Merkel to express his sympathy. Merkel said she plans to visit the crash site.
"This is the hour in which we all feel deep sorrow," she told reporters.
Search-and-rescue teams are undergoing operations. The cause of the crash is unknown, according to French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Germanwings confirmed the crash in a statement.
We must confirm to our deepest regret that Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 from Barcelona to Dusseldorf has suffered an accident over the French Alps. The flight was being operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, and was carrying 144 passengers and six crew members. Lufthansa and Germanwings have established a telephone hotline. The toll-free 0800 11 33 55 77 number is available to all the families of the passengers involved for care and assistance. Everyone at Germanwings and Lufthansa is deeply shocked and saddened by these events. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the passengers and crew members.
The plane was about 24 years old and has been with Lufthansa since 1991.
