A picture released by France's Gendarmerie shows a helicopter and rescue personnel close to the crash site of the Germanwings Airbus A320 in the French Alps. (AFP photo)
The US State Department confirmed on Wednesday that two Americans died in the Germanwings plane disaster in the French Alps. "At this time, we can confirm the deaths of two US citizens.
We are in contact with family members and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the 150 people on board," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement.
She added that US officials were "deeply saddened" by the news of Tuesday's crash, which killed all 144 passengers and six crew members aboard.
"We are continuing to review our records to determine whether any other US citizens might have been on board the flight," she said.
Psaki said the names of the US crash victims were not being released "out of respect for the family."