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Pope prays for plane crash victims; French official hopes for recovery of bodies within week

Associated Press
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Buses of the French gendarmerie, park and mask the homage ceremony with family members of Japanese victims in the area where the Germanwings jetliner crashed in the French Alps, in Le Vernet, France, Sunday, March 29, 2015. The crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 into an Alpine mountain Tuesday killed all 150 people aboard, and has raised questions about the mental state of the co-pilot. Authorities believe the 27-year-old German deliberately sought to destroy the Airbus A320 as it flew from Barcelona to Duesseldorf. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) (The Associated Press)

The German, left, and Japanese flags are deployed during an homage ceremony with family members of Japanese victims in the area where the Germanwings jetliner crashed in the French Alps, in Le Vernet, France, Sunday, March 29, 2015. The crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 into an Alpine mountain Tuesday killed all 150 people aboard, and has raised questions about the mental state of the co-pilot. Authorities believe the 27-year-old German deliberately sought to destroy the Airbus A320 as it flew from Barcelona to Duesseldorf. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) (The Associated Press)

Pope Francis delivers his blessing at the end of a Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, March 29, 2015. Pope Francis has walked solemnly through St. Peter's Square in a Palm Sunday procession to usher in Holy Week ahead of Easter. Francis clutched a palm frond for the religious service, celebrated outside St. Peter's Basilica. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca) (The Associated Press)

Pope Francis has prayed for the victims of the Germanwings plane crash, as French authorities say they are making progress recovering the bodies of those killed in Tuesday's crash.

Francis offered the prayer after Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square at the start of Holy Week.

In France, Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin told German news agency dpa that he hopes to complete the recovery of bodies within a week.

Tests on the body of the co-pilot may provide clues on any medical treatment he was receiving.

Prosecutors say Andreas Lubitz deliberately slammed the plane into a remote mountainside in the French Alps. They say the 27-year-old co-pilot was hiding an illness and sick notes for the day of the crash from his employer.