Germanwings Flight 9525 Crash Sends Airline Stocks Tumbling; Deutsche Lufthansa (LHA) Shares Sink After Authorities Say Co-Pilot Andreas Lubitz 'Wanted To Destroy' Plane

Airline stocks lost altitude Thursday after officials said the co-pilot of the Germanwings flight that crashed into the French Alps Tuesday downed the plane on purpose. The announcement sent shares of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (ETR:LHA) tumbling more than 3 percent Thursday and more than 5 percent this week. Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525, "wanted to destroy the aircraft," said Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin Thursday.