'So unfathomable': Sixteen German students, opera singers killed in Germanwings tragedy
A group image taken of the German students with their exchange guests at a bowling alley. It is understood only some of these students are among the crash victims. (Supplied)
Sixteen German students, who were returning from a week-long Spanish exchange trip, were on board the doomed Germanwings flight that went down in the French Alps.
The students were among six crew and 144 passengers on board Germanwings flight 4U9525 that crashed into mountainous terrain in the French Alps.
Australian mother and son Carol and Greig Friday and German opera singers Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner are also among the victims.
Images have emerged of the singers and some of the 16 German students, all of which have been confirmed dead.
The classmates and two teachers from Joseph-König-Gymnasiums (Joseph King High School) in Haltern, were on their way back from a week-long exchange program at the Institut Giola in Llinars del Vallès near Barcelona, Spain.
"It was a Spanish language exchange programme and they were flying home after having what was probably the most wonderful time of their lives," the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia’s Education Minister Sylvia Loehrmann said.
"It's so tragic, so sad, so unfathomable.”
Also on board were Deustche Opera singers Oleg Bryjak and Maria Radner.
The pair had on been on stage in a series of performances of Richard Wagner’s Siegfried at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu.
Gran Teatre del Liceu confirmed that Maria, 34, with her husband and baby was among the 150 killed in the crash. She was an alto, who played the role of Erda.
Oleg, 54 was a renowned bass baritone and an experienced singer who had performed on stages across Europe, America and Asia.
Siegfried’s director said that they had lost a “great artist and great man.”
Deustche Opera released a statement confirming his death.
“With great sadness and grief, the members of the Deutsche Opera and Rhein Dusseldorf Duisburg have received the news that among the victims of Germanwings plane crash and its long-standing member of the ensemble Oleg Bryjak is dead,” the statement read.
The Gran Teatre del Liceu said on Facebook also expressed their gratitude: “Our sincere condolences to family and friends of all victims”.
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