Investigators have made what could be a dramatic breakthrough as they probe the airliner crash that killed 150 people in the French Alps.
Officials from the BEA crash investigation agency say they extracted “usable data” from one of the Germanwings Airbus A320’s two “black boxes” found among the debris, with recordings from the cockpit, but still had no explanation for the mysterious crash.
The New York Times says that data includes a voice recording of one of the pilots trying to break down the cockpit door in a vain attempt to gain readmission.
The newspaper cites a senior military official involved in the investigation who had heard the cockpit voice recorder as saying that there was a “very smooth, very cool” conversation between the two pilots during the early part of the doomed flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf.
The audio then indicated that one of the pilots left the cockpit and could not re-enter, the investigator said.
“The guy outside is knocking lightly on the door and there is no answer,” the investigator told the newspaper.
“And then he hits the door stronger and no answer. There is never an answer.
“You can hear he is trying to smash the door down.”
The official, who requested anonymity because the investigation is continuing, reportedly said: “We don’t know yet the reason why one of the guys went out.
“But what is sure is that at the very end of the flight, the other pilot is alone, and does not open the door.”
French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel flew over the crash site to see the devastation for themselves, while Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also visited the scene of Tuesday’s crash – the worst in France in four decades.
Buffeted by strong mountain winds, the ashen-faced leaders spent several minutes inspecting a line-up of blue-uniformed rescue workers, chatting intently with the help of interpreters.
“My deepest sympathies with the families and all my thanks for the friendship of the people of this region and in France,” wrote Merkel in a book of condolence.
Grieving relatives were also gathering near the crash site, where a counselling unit has been established.
Meanwhile, BEA released photos of the mangled black box, its metal casing torn and twisted by the violence of the impact.
BEA head Remi Jouty told reporters he had “not the slightest explanation” for the crash at this stage, although he revealed the plane was still flying when it smashed into the mountainside and did not explode mid-air.
Hollande said the casing of a second black box, which records technical flight data, had been found but not the device itself.
Authorities are still baffled as to why the plane suddenly began a fatal eight-minute descent shortly after reaching cruising altitude on Tuesday.
No distress signal was sent and the crew failed to respond to desperate attempts at contact from ground control.
“It is inexplicable,” Lufthansa chief Carsten Spohr said in Frankfurt.
Officials in Spain said at least 49 Spaniards had been killed in the accident, and Germanwings said at least 72 Germans were dead.
The plane was carrying six crew and 144 passengers.
The family of the two Australian victims, Victorians Greig and Carol Friday, said the pair were enjoying a few weeks holiday together ahead of Greig’s plans to teach English in France.
“They were both extraordinary people who were loved by many, who they loved in return,” the family said on Wednesday.
Sixteen German teenagers returning home from a school trip were also on board the plane. Bereaved pupils from their high school in the small German town of Haltern wept and hugged near a makeshift memorial of candles as they pulled together to share the pain of losing their friends.
“Yesterday we were many, today we are alone,” read a hand-painted sign at the school, decorated with 16 crosses — one for each of the victims, most around 15 years old.
Victims were also confirmed from Argentina, Belgium, Britain, Colombia, Denmark, Holland, Israel, Japan, Mexico and the United States, according to officials.
