We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE CO-PILOT WHO is believed to have deliberately crashed a Germanwings jet in the French Alps may have “rehearsed” steering the plane into a rapid descent on an earlier flight, German daily Bild reported today.
Quoting sources close to the French investigating authorities, the newspaper said that the co-pilot, 27-year-old Andreas Lubitz, appeared to have tried out a “controlled, minute-long descent for which there was no aeronautical reason” on the earlier outbound flight from Duesseldorf to Barcelona.
Investigators had discovered this after a close evaluation of the jet’s black-box flight recorder, Bild said.
The French authorities are scheduled to publish an interim report on their investigation into the crash later today.
The Germanwings Airbus 320 was en route from Barcelona to Duesseldorf when it crashed in the French Alps on March 24, killing all 150 people on board.
French investigators believe that Lubitz, who had been diagnosed as suicidal in the past, deliberately brought the plane down.
Doctors had recently found no sign that he intended to hurt himself or others, but he was receiving treatment from neurologists and psychiatrists who had signed him off sick from work a number of times, including on the day of the crash.
Police found torn-up sick notes during a search of his apartment after the crash.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Depression can drive a man to take his own life but what drove him to kill so many innocent people ? So very sad.
It’s something that many of us thankfully will never understand. But it makes it all the harder for the victims families because a normal person just can’t fathom how something like this happens.
“Link between Psychiatric drugs and violence cannot be ignored” by Brian Daniels ~
From 2005 ~ “Pilots Taking Antidepressants? The FAA Is Risking Our Lives” by Psychiatrist Dr Peter Breggin ~
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-peter-breggin/antidepressants-pilots-ta_b_542240.html
PIlots with severe depression should not be certified to fly several hundred passengers.
Absolutely, no exceptions !
Murdering bastaard
I can’t help but feel, the media should not be posting this guys picture or even his name. He apparently said he wanted to be remembered etcetc. So, if the media shows his info then this may, I only say may, influence others with the same psychotic needs!!! Just saying.
Very good point
Decent point but I don’t think it’s entirely practical as the same logic could be extended to those who commit many serious crimes. By basic human nature people need to vilify someone who commits such a heinous act, the concept of someone who committed such an atrocity not being associated with it doesn’t sit well with me.
Also in this era of 24-hour and tabloid news, News sources feed off these leaks so add some new content to their news reels so you’ll never find any editorial responsibility from that side.
Nothing can undo the horror of the crash and the manner in which it occurred. However,
this new story needs to be examined a bit. Why did nobody notice anything strange about the descent? Surely the pilot would have had to report something as irregular as this?
ATC did and tried to get in touch. The pilot was locked out of the cockpit and tried to get back in. All of this has already been examined in detail and well documented
He is referring to the “practice” descent Paul, not the actual one that caused the crash! :-)
He is referring to the “practice” descent Paul, not the one that caused the crash! :-)
Paul, I was referring to the article published today, not the original event.
I was surprised to discover that it was AFP that was responsible for this collection of words. At least I got something from it.
Is it a fact he was diagnosed as being suicidal in the past? Need I say anymore. ..
Why does the headline state “previous flights” only to be contradicted by the opening line of the article?
have your say