BARCELONA, Spain, March 24 -- 45 Spaniards were killed on Tuesday in a passenger plane crash in French Alps en route from Barcelona in Spain to Dusseldorf in Germany, according to Spanish TV.

The Airbus A320 operated by Lufthansa's Germanwings budget airline crashed in the southern French region of Barcelonette with 142 passengers and 6 crew members on board.

Spanish TV, citing Spanish government sources, said 45 Spaniards were among the passengers on board the plane, while Spain's airport operator AENA had already confirmed Spaniards and Germans were travelling in the plane.

However, the passengers list has not been unveiled yet. At the airport, workers were checking runways in order to look for information that could help to clarify the causes of the accident.

AENA announced it will set up a hotline for families, while psychologists will arrive at the airport to provide support to the families' victims. The Terminal 2B and 2C at El Prat is prepared to assist the families, local media reported.

Also, the Catalan regional government set up a crisis unit in order to provide information on the accident with the telephone number 012. The Catalan Minister of Interior Ramon Espadaler is at the airport, while Catalan President Artur Mas will give a press conference at 13:30 local time (1200GMT).

Spanish King Felipe VI is in Paris and will meet France's Prime Minister Francois Hollande, and Catalan Vice-President Joana Ortega will go to the French Alps.

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