Germanwings crash victims' families lose compensation lawsuit

The Braunschweig District Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by 30 relatives of the victims of the 2015 Germanwings crash. The plaintiffs sought compensation of up to 110,000 euros each from the Federal Republic of Germany, alleging that the Federal Aviation Office failed to adequately monitor the flight fitness of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who intentionally crashed the plane into the French Alps, killing 150 people.

The court ruled that the claims were unfounded, stating that the relatives could seek equivalent compensation from the airline, Germanwings, rather than the state. The ruling cited the Montreal Convention regarding liability in international air transport. The plaintiffs have the option to appeal the decision to the Higher Regional Court of Braunschweig.

In a separate aviation incident, a two-seat ultralight aircraft crashed in a vineyard near Gundelsheim, Baden-Württemberg, on Sunday. The crash, which occurred during a landing attempt, resulted in the deaths of a 38-year-old man and his father. The aircraft had departed from Arnstadt, Thuringia. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the accident, which involved the plane striking a fence and a tree before catching fire.