The co-pilot of Germanwings 9525, found to have deliberately crashed the Airbus A320 into the Alps in March, had contacted dozens of doctors before that flight — possibly in efforts to get help for a mental or physical condition, according to an Associated Press report on Friday. Andreas Lubitz, who killed all 150 people aboard the aircraft, had hidden his severe depression from the airline and its parent, Lufthansa. He had a medical excuse from a doctor for the day of the crash. French prosecutor Brice Robin, who is leading a criminal probe into crash, told the AP Lubitz appeared to be desperately seeking medical attention, but did not specify what the pilot wanted from those he contacted.
At the same time, Lubitz was researching online about suicide as well as how to manipulate the security system of the A320’s cockpit door, which he used to lock the captain outside while he put the jet into a descent towards the terrain. French investigators are continuing their examination of a range of issues related to the crash, including Lubitz’s health, medical screenings of pilots, and cockpit security measures. Theyfound in May Lubitz had practiced setting the A320’s altitude selector to 100 feet while alone for a few minutes in the cockpit on a previous flight.
