Andreas Lubitz Was Being Treated by ‘Several’ Psychiatrists Prior to Germanwings Alps Crash
The co-pilot who deliberately caused Germany’s worst post-war air disaster was suffering from a “serious psychosomatic illness” and had sought treatment for vision problems that could have ended his flying career, officials close to the inquiry and police investigating the Germanwings plane crash revealed yesterday.
The findings come from evidence found at the home of Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot who smashed the Germanwings Airbus 320 into the French Alps on Tuesday, killing himself and the other 149 passengers and crew aboard. The 27-year-old was being treated by “several neurologists and psychiatrists”, one of the leaders of the Düsseldorf task force investigating the incident told Die Welt am Sonntag yesterday.
“There is clear evidence of a serious psychosomatic illness,” the investigator added. “He [Lubitz] was suffering from a severe subjective stress syndrome and was heavily depressed.” Police said they also found large amounts of medication needed to treat depression in the pilot’s Düsseldorf flat