Flags at half-mast as Spain mourns air crash victims

Flags flew at half-mast and workplaces fell silent today as Spain grieved for the 150 people, including at least 51 Spaniards, killed in a plane crash in the French Alps.
Mourners stood still for a minute's silence at noon at countless points around the country, including both houses of parliament in Madrid, theatres and football fields.
Outside Barcelona's El Prat airport, where the Germanwings flight took off on Tuesday, staff stopped working for a minute's silence among giant wreaths of yellow flowers.
"The atmosphere is tense. The city is sad," 58-year-old Maria Antonia Roig said after dropping her son off to catch a flight at the airport.

"Everyone knows someone who knows a victim. It has hit very close to home."
Among the flags at half-mast across Spain was one atop the grand facade of Barcelona's opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

Two star opera singers who had just performed there in Richard Wagner's "Siegfried" died in the crash.
One of the singers, German contralto Maria Radner, 33, died along with her baby and husband, the Liceu theatre said.
The Liceu and the Teatro Real opera house in Madrid both held a minute's silence at noon.
Spain declared three days of mourning and King Felipe VI cut short his first state visit to France just minutes after it began on Tuesday upon hearing news of the tragedy.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy cancelled all his appointments and flew to France where he met German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders near the crash site in a remote area of the French Alps.
FC Barcelona said its hockey and handball teams had worn black armbands in matches Tuesday and the basketball team would do the same on Wednesday.
Real Madrid footballers also held a minute's silence before training on Wednesday, the club said.