Adventist Church in Europe: Condolences to Families of Those Lost in Airline Tragedy

From APD, March 25, 2015:   Pastor Bruno Vertallier, president of the Adventist denomination in southern Europe, immediately gave his condolences to the families of the 150 people killed yesterday in the crash of a Germanwings Airbus A320 plane in the foothills near Digne-les-Bains, in the Alpes de Haute Provence of France. “We mourn with the families of the victims of this tragic event,” he stated on behalf of the Adventist faith community. “I trust that you will find the necessary support to go through this terrible reality of being cut off from your loved ones. I grieve with you.”

International news services are reporting this morning that on the flight from Barcelona (Spain), to Dusseldorf (Germany) were two babies, two opera singers and sixteen secondary school students on a spring field trip. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said there was a “high number of Spaniards, Germans and Turks” on the flight.

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South and West of Europe expresses its deepest sympathy and extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of all victims,“ said Vertallier’s statement from the denomination’s Intereuropean Division (EUD). “We share their pain and pray that the Lord may comfort and relieve their hearts.“ The Adventist Church is ready to provide assistance and support to each person affected by the terrible plane crash through its local churches and institutions in Germany, France and Spain, according to the statement.

APD is the Adventist News Service in Europe. It is based in Bern, Switzerland.