Germanwings Disaster Victim's Father Philip Bramley Says Son Paul 'Should Not Be Forgotten'

Crash Victim's Father Fights Back Tears Saying The Dead 'Should Not Be Forgotten'

The father of a British victim of the Germanwings air disaster has fought back tears while appealing for the 150 dead "not to be forgotten".

Philip Bramley's son Paul, 28, was one of the three Britons on board the Dusseldorf-bound Airbus A320 when it crashed in the French Alps on Tuesday, killing all aboard.

Questions continue to be asked about co-pilot Andreas Lubitz's mental and physical health days after he locked the captain out of the Airbus' cockpit and brought down the airliner.

In a sober tribute to everyone who has helped the victims' families, Bramley described Lubitz as "at the very least, ill" and said his motivation was "irrelevant".

Fighting back tears in Digne, close to where the flight came down on Tuesday, he read a statement to Sky News that said: "What happened on the morning of 24 March was the act of a person who at the very least was ill.

"If there was a motive or reason we don't want to hear it, it's not relevant.

"What is relevant, is that it should never happen again; my son and everyone on that plane should not be forgotten, ever. I don't want it to be forgotten, ever."

Paul Bramley, originally from Hull, was studying hotel management in Lucerne, Switzerland and was returning from a short holiday in Barcelona on the flight.

His father continued: "I will not get him back or take him home because of the nature of the impact. Me and my family will visit here forever.

"The people of France have helped me and my family in every aspect. They've been dignified, we've been shown compassion and everyone has been with us in our sorrow.

"The police, doctors, nurses put their arms around us and helped us through this unbearable time.

"The French people can be proud of the army of wonderful volunteers who have embraced us.

"The politicians of every country, the Foreign Office in London and the everyone who helped us, who most people don't know exist, have supported us in our time of need.

"I will never be able to thank all of them enough. They are for caring for us and dealing with things no one should have to see."

He added: "I believe the airlines should be more transparent and our finest pilots looked after properly. We put our lives and our children's lives in their hands.

"I want to see this cloud over this town lifted and the natural beauty be restored and not to be remembered by the action of a single person."

At the end of his statement, Bramley held up a photo of his son and began to cry as he turned away.

Philip Bramley holding the picture of his son Paul

Also among the dead were seven-month-old Julian Pracz-Bandres, from Manchester, who was killed with his mother Marina Bandres Lopez Belio, 37, originally from Spain.

Another of the Britons to die was senior quality manager Martyn Matthews, 50, from Wolverhampton, who worked at Tipton in the West Midlands.

A special Mass was held on Saturday in Dignes to honour the victims and support their families.

Bishop Jean-Philippe Nault led the Mass, attended by about 200 people from the surrounding region, deeply shaken by the crash.

It was the deadliest crash on French soil in decades.

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