Andreas Lubitz, Germanwings Co-Pilot, Referred To Psychiatric Clinic Weeks Before Crashing Plane

Andreas Lubitz, the Germanwings co-pilot who intentionally crashed Flight 4U 9525 on March 24, 2015, had been referred to a psychiatric clinic two weeks before the tragedy that killed 150 people.

Andreas Lubitz Update

In the weeks leading up to the crash, Lubitz had sought help from dozens of doctors. Due to the behavior that he was displaying, it was recommended that he receive further psychiatric treatment at a clinic. Unfortunately, Germanwings was not made aware of Lubitz’s deteriorating mental state, reported The Huffington Post.

“Experts found that the symptoms (he was presenting at that time) could be compatible with a psychotic episode,” Arnaud Desjardin, the leader of the BEA investigation, said, adding that the information “was not delivered to Germanwings.”

Per protocol, it would have been up to Lubitz to inform someone at Germanwings of his mental illness. Since he did not, no one knew to suspend him from flying.

“No action could have been taken by the authorities or his employer to prevent him from flying,” according to the BEA.

Though many are still pointing the finger of blame at the airline, it is unlikely that it will be held accountable. Instead, the French air accident investigators are recommending that new rules are created to compel medical workers to warn the appropriate authorities if a pilot’s mental health is thought to be a threat to his or her passengers.

It has previously been reported that Lubitz had long suffered from mental illness, but that his symptoms may have worsened in the weeks leading up to the intentional crash. It was also previously reported in the days immediately following the crash that Lubitz was excused from working by doctors based on his mental state, but that he had chosen to continue working despite doctors’ suggestions.

German authorities had found doctor’s notes in Lubitz’s apartment that the co-pilot had torn up. German prosecution spokesperson Ralf Herrenbrueck said that the “ripped, recent medical leave notes, including for the day of the offense, leads to the preliminary conclusion that the deceased kept his illness secret from his employer and his professional environment.”