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| Prosecutor: Co-pilot on doomed flight hid ongoing ‘medical treatments’ | Prosecutor: Co-pilot on doomed flight hid ongoing ‘medical treatments’ |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MONTABAUR, Germany — The co-pilot suspected of intentionally crashing Germanwings Flight 9525 apparent tried to hide his medical treatments from the airline, including tearing up a note on the day of the crash, a German prosecutor said Friday. | MONTABAUR, Germany — The co-pilot suspected of intentionally crashing Germanwings Flight 9525 apparent tried to hide his medical treatments from the airline, including tearing up a note on the day of the crash, a German prosecutor said Friday. |
| The statement gave no details on the medical issues, but Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that Andreas Lubitz had been treated for at least one “serious depressive episode” in the past and had to suspend his flight training because of psychological issues. | The statement gave no details on the medical issues, but Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that Andreas Lubitz had been treated for at least one “serious depressive episode” in the past and had to suspend his flight training because of psychological issues. |
| The twin accounts added to growing suspicions that the 27-year-old pilot had a series of psychological treatments over the years as he moved up the ranks from flight attendant to the cockpit of an Airbus A320. | The twin accounts added to growing suspicions that the 27-year-old pilot had a series of psychological treatments over the years as he moved up the ranks from flight attendant to the cockpit of an Airbus A320. |
| Ralf Herrenbrück, a senior prosecutor in Düsseldorf, said it appears Lubitz had “existing illness and medical treatment” and that had tried to conceal them from the airline and colleagues. | Ralf Herrenbrück, a senior prosecutor in Düsseldorf, said it appears Lubitz had “existing illness and medical treatment” and that had tried to conceal them from the airline and colleagues. |
| Herrenbrück said “torn-up, current sick notes were found, including from the day of the incident.” He gave no other details about the contents of the notes, but such notes in German are typically written by a medical professional to excuse their patients from work or other obligations. | Herrenbrück said “torn-up, current sick notes were found, including from the day of the incident.” He gave no other details about the contents of the notes, but such notes in German are typically written by a medical professional to excuse their patients from work or other obligations. |
| Herrenbrück said the documents and other evidence “supports the assumption that the deceased had been hiding his illness from his employer and colleagues.” | Herrenbrück said the documents and other evidence “supports the assumption that the deceased had been hiding his illness from his employer and colleagues.” |
| But he added that none of the evidence recovered so far clearly points to specific motive. | But he added that none of the evidence recovered so far clearly points to specific motive. |
| “The measures did not result in the finding of a so-called suicide note or a written claim of responsibility,” he said. “Neither was any evidence found that the incident was politically or religiously motivated.” | “The measures did not result in the finding of a so-called suicide note or a written claim of responsibility,” he said. “Neither was any evidence found that the incident was politically or religiously motivated.” |
| [How the pilot was locked out of the cockpit] | [How the pilot was locked out of the cockpit] |
| The account by Bild also cited security sources saying Lubitz has been in a “life crisis” that included troubles with his girlfriend. | The account by Bild also cited security sources saying Lubitz has been in a “life crisis” that included troubles with his girlfriend. |
| The report drew no direct connection between Lubitz’s present psychological state and Tuesday’s apparently deliberate plunge into the French Alps that killed all 150 aboard. | The report drew no direct connection between Lubitz’s present psychological state and Tuesday’s apparently deliberate plunge into the French Alps that killed all 150 aboard. |
| But the emerging details offered a possibly fuller portrait of Lubitz as authorities groped for reasons and the global airline industry moved rapidly with reforms, including some carriers following the U.S. lead to require two people at all times in the cockpit. On Friday, Lufthansa joined the growing list. | |
| Bild reported that Lubitz received treatment six years ago for a “serious depressive episode” at the beginning of his training. The report cited sources at Lufthansa, the parent airline of the budget carrier Germanwings. | Bild reported that Lubitz received treatment six years ago for a “serious depressive episode” at the beginning of his training. The report cited sources at Lufthansa, the parent airline of the budget carrier Germanwings. |
| It also said Lubitz had slowed his flight training because of treatment for unspecified psychological issues, and was temporarily deemed “unfit to fly” during instructions at Lufthansa’s aviation school outside Phoenix. | It also said Lubitz had slowed his flight training because of treatment for unspecified psychological issues, and was temporarily deemed “unfit to fly” during instructions at Lufthansa’s aviation school outside Phoenix. |
| Lubitz’s personnel file contained a special code saying he needed to have “special regular medical examinations,” Bild added. | Lubitz’s personnel file contained a special code saying he needed to have “special regular medical examinations,” Bild added. |
| The report followed the stunning announcement by a French prosecutor Thursday that evidence from the cockpit flight recorder led to one horrific conclusion — that Lubitz barricaded himself at the controls and put the A320 onto an intentional collision course with rugged mountains in southern France. | The report followed the stunning announcement by a French prosecutor Thursday that evidence from the cockpit flight recorder led to one horrific conclusion — that Lubitz barricaded himself at the controls and put the A320 onto an intentional collision course with rugged mountains in southern France. |
| [The plane’s final moments, minute by minute] | [The plane’s final moments, minute by minute] |
| The Lufthansa group did not immediately comment on the Bild report. | The Lufthansa group did not immediately comment on the Bild report. |
| A Lufthansa spokesman confirmed Lubitz had a “training pause” yet later “passed his examination perfectly.” | A Lufthansa spokesman confirmed Lubitz had a “training pause” yet later “passed his examination perfectly.” |
| “He had medical clearance” from Germany’s civil aviation agency, the spokesman said. | “He had medical clearance” from Germany’s civil aviation agency, the spokesman said. |
| On Thursday, Lufthansa’s CEO, Carsten Spohr, described Lubitz as “100 percent fit to fly” when he took his seat on the Barcelona-to-Düsseldorf route. | On Thursday, Lufthansa’s CEO, Carsten Spohr, described Lubitz as “100 percent fit to fly” when he took his seat on the Barcelona-to-Düsseldorf route. |
| In Düsseldorf, police guarded the entrance to Lubitz’s apartment on the end of a quiet suburban street called “The Witches’ Cottages.” A small palm tree rested on the balcony of Lubitz’s third-floor apartment. Next door, the German flag had been lowered to half-staff. | In Düsseldorf, police guarded the entrance to Lubitz’s apartment on the end of a quiet suburban street called “The Witches’ Cottages.” A small palm tree rested on the balcony of Lubitz’s third-floor apartment. Next door, the German flag had been lowered to half-staff. |
| Investigators conducted a search Thursday and took away some items in two cardboard boxes and a sack, said the city’s police spokesman, Markus Niesczery. He gave no details on the objects removed. | Investigators conducted a search Thursday and took away some items in two cardboard boxes and a sack, said the city’s police spokesman, Markus Niesczery. He gave no details on the objects removed. |
| In Montabaur, a town of 13,000 where Lubitz was raised, police also stood outside the family’s house — a two-story home with eyelid windows — as a German prosecutor and other officials searched the inside late Thursday. They carted off large blue plastic bags filled with evidence without speaking to reporters. | In Montabaur, a town of 13,000 where Lubitz was raised, police also stood outside the family’s house — a two-story home with eyelid windows — as a German prosecutor and other officials searched the inside late Thursday. They carted off large blue plastic bags filled with evidence without speaking to reporters. |
| One official familiar with the investigation said authorities had not yet found anything that would suggest a suicide note, but the official cautioned that the forsensics were in the early stages. German and French officials said there were no indications Lubitz belonged to a terrorist organization. | One official familiar with the investigation said authorities had not yet found anything that would suggest a suicide note, but the official cautioned that the forsensics were in the early stages. German and French officials said there were no indications Lubitz belonged to a terrorist organization. |
| [Could it happen again?] | [Could it happen again?] |
| At the same time, a chilling account of the flights final moments emerged from French prosecutors and officials at Lufthansa. | At the same time, a chilling account of the flights final moments emerged from French prosecutors and officials at Lufthansa. |
| Almost 10 minutes before panicked screams echoed through the aisles as Flight 9525 plunged toward the mountains, Lubitz — who had worked up flight steward to co-pilot — was silent and alone in the cockpit. | Almost 10 minutes before panicked screams echoed through the aisles as Flight 9525 plunged toward the mountains, Lubitz — who had worked up flight steward to co-pilot — was silent and alone in the cockpit. |
| The Airbus had cruised to 38,000 feet amid cheerful banter between Lubitz and his far more experienced pilot. But as the pilot shifted his attention to paperwork for landing the short-haul Germanwings flight, Lubitz grew less animated, offering brief responses. | The Airbus had cruised to 38,000 feet amid cheerful banter between Lubitz and his far more experienced pilot. But as the pilot shifted his attention to paperwork for landing the short-haul Germanwings flight, Lubitz grew less animated, offering brief responses. |
| At 10:31 a.m. Tuesday, the pilot — named in the German media only as “Patrick S” — apparently heeded nature’s call, rustling out of his seat and exiting the cockpit, never to get back in. | At 10:31 a.m. Tuesday, the pilot — named in the German media only as “Patrick S” — apparently heeded nature’s call, rustling out of his seat and exiting the cockpit, never to get back in. |
| Moments later, Lubitz, according to a French review of recovered flight data, took the A320 off autopilot and began a controlled descent that initially would not have seemed unusual to those aboard. | Moments later, Lubitz, according to a French review of recovered flight data, took the A320 off autopilot and began a controlled descent that initially would not have seemed unusual to those aboard. |
| Then came the knocking — increasingly frantic — by the pilot as he sought to reenter the locked and reinforced cockpit door. In the final moments, the sounds of terrified passengers filled the plane even as Lubitz — audibly breathing as a bleeping alarm warned of imminent collision — kept quiet through the end. | Then came the knocking — increasingly frantic — by the pilot as he sought to reenter the locked and reinforced cockpit door. In the final moments, the sounds of terrified passengers filled the plane even as Lubitz — audibly breathing as a bleeping alarm warned of imminent collision — kept quiet through the end. |
| Near the crash site, French experts set up a mobile laboratory on Friday as the first step in testing DNA samples to try to identify the remains. | |
| [Watch: A grim tour of the wreckage ] | [Watch: A grim tour of the wreckage ] |
| Those who knew Lubitz, meanwhile, still struggled to reconcile their memory of the reserved young pilot and avid runner with the accounts of French prosecutor Brice Robin, who said that Lubitz’s actions appeared to be a deliberate attempt “to destroy the plane.” | |
| A longtime aficionado who dreamed of flying planes as a youth, Lubitz belonged to his local flight club and, after a stint as a cabin attendant, landed a coveted spot in Lufthansa’s pilot training program in 2008. | A longtime aficionado who dreamed of flying planes as a youth, Lubitz belonged to his local flight club and, after a stint as a cabin attendant, landed a coveted spot in Lufthansa’s pilot training program in 2008. |
| His time as a flight attendant earned him the nickname “Tomato Andi” at flight school, the newspaper Bild quoted colleagues. Lubitz did his training, which can take 33 months, at company facilities in Bremen, Germany, and Arizona. | |
| [The co-pilot’s path from a young aspiring aviator] | [The co-pilot’s path from a young aspiring aviator] |
| Lubitz was relatively new to the post of co-pilot at Germanwings. He had been in the job for 18 months, logging 630 hours of flight experience — enough, authorities said, to safely manage the plane on his own. Lufthansa CEO Spohr said Lubitz passed the company’s stringent physical and psychological tests. | |
| Birnbaum reported from Düsseldorf. Brian Murphy in Washington and Virgile Demoustier in Paris contributed to this report. | |
| How a pilot can be locked out of the cockpit Reasons for the two-in-cockpit rule | How a pilot can be locked out of the cockpit Reasons for the two-in-cockpit rule |
| Reasons for the two-in-cockpit rule | Reasons for the two-in-cockpit rule |