DNA strands identified from dead Germanwings passengers remains

Recovery teams say they have isolated 78 DNA strands from body parts spread across the crash site of Germanwings flight 4U9525, which went over France on Tuesday killing all 150 on board.

Work is now underway to create a new road to provide better access the scene which can only be got to on foot or by helicopter at the moment.

The route is expected to be completed by Monday night, allowing investigators to continue the search for human remains and parts of the aircraft, including the flight data recorder which is still missing.

The cockpit voice recorder recovered soon after the incident suggests co-pilot Andreas Lubitz crashed the plane deliberately.

A transcript leaked to German media revealed the frenzied final minutes, with the pilot, locked out of the cockpit, shouting "open the damn door!"

The recording, which has not been independently verified, details the captain, who has been named as Patrick Sondenheimer, telling Lubitz he was not able to go to the toilet before take off, to which the co-pilot replies he can go at any time.

The captain then says "you can take over" before Lubitz, 27, refuses to let him back into the cockpit.

Mr Sondenheimer is then heard banging on the door, shouting "for God's sake, open the door".

He then tries to break the door down with an axe as passengers are heard screaming in the background. Investigators believe the next sound is the plane's wing hitting the mountain before final screams.

Meanwhile, reports suggest Lubitz was possibly suffering from a detached retina, while there is also speculation over his mental health after investigators found anti-depressants at his home.

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DNA strands identified from dead Germanwings passengers remains