WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Three Americans were on board a German budget airliner that crashed on Tuesday with all the 144 passengers and six crew members perished, the State Department said on Wednesday.

"At this time, we can confirm the deaths of U.S. citizens Yvonne Selke and Emily Selke," spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki told reporters at a daily news briefing.

"We can also confirm that a third U.S. citizen was on board the flight," she added. "We are in touch with the family, but are not releasing the name at this time out of respect for the family."

Seventy-two Germans, 35 Spanish citizens and passengers from Britain, the Netherlands, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, Denmark, Belgium, Israel, Australia, Argentina, Iran and Venezuela were also aboard the ill-fated Germanwings passenger jet A320, the company said on Wednesday.

The flight was on its way from Barcelona, Spain to the German city of Dusseldorf when it crashed in the French Alps.