Undated file picture of co-pilot
Andreas Lubitz is seen via Facebook March 26, 2015.
BERLIN (Reuters) - The pilot who
appears to have deliberately crashed a plane carrying 149 others into the
French Alps received psychiatric treatment for a "serious depressive
episode" six years ago, German tabloid Bild reported on Friday.
Prosecutors in France, after
listening to the cockpit voice recorders, offered no motive for why Andreas
Lubitz, 27, would take the controls of the Airbus A320, lock the captain out of
the cockpit and deliberately set it veering down from cruising altitude at
3,000 feet per minute.
Citing internal documents and
Lufthansa sources, Bild said Lubitz spent a total of one and a half years in
psychiatric treatment and that the relevant documents would be passed to French
investigators once they had been examined by German authorities.
Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten
Spohr told a news conference on Thursday that Lubitz had taken a break during
his training six years ago, but did not explain why and said he had passed all
tests to be fit to fly.
"Six years ago there was a
lengthy interruption in his training. After he was cleared again, he resumed
training. He passed all the subsequent tests and checks with flying colors. His
flying abilities were flawless," Spohr said.
A Lufthansa spokeswoman said on
Friday the airline would not comment on the state of health of the pilot.
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