Germanwings’ (2nd) (Cologne/Bonn) First Officer Andreas Lubitz “informed the Flight Training Pilot School in 2009, in the medical documents he submitted in connection with resuming his flight training, about a “previous episode of severe depression” according to a Lufthansa statement after an internal review. Despite this, Lubitz was deemed fit to fly after receiving his medical certificate.
Lufthansa has issued this full statement:
The co-pilot of Germanwings flight 4U 9525 interrupted his pilot training at the Flight Training Pilot School for several months. Thereafter the co-pilot received the medical certificate confirming his fitness to fly.
To ensure a swift and seamless clarification, Lufthansa – after further internal investigations – has submitted additional documents to the Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor, particularly training and medical documents. These also include the email correspondence of the copilot with the Flight Training Pilot School. In this correspondence he informed the Flight Training Pilot School in 2009, in the medical documents he submitted in connection with resuming his flight training, about a “previous episode of severe depression”.
Lufthansa will continue to provide the investigating authorities with its full and unlimited support. We therefore ask for your understanding that we cannot provide any further statements at this time, because we do not wish to anticipate the ongoing investigation by the Düsseldorf Public Prosecutor.
As already confirmed last Thursday to the public the co-pilot held a fully valid class 1 medical certificate during flight duty on March 24, 2015.
In other news, Lufthansa is canceling its 60th Anniversary celebrations. The company issued this statement:
Out of respect for the crash victims of flight 4U 9525 Lufthansa is canceling the originally planned festivities for the 60th anniversary of the company, which was planned for April 15, 2015.
Instead of the originally planned anniversary event, Lufthansa will provide a live broadcast for its employees, of the official state ceremony in the Cologne Cathedral on the 17th of April 2015, where the bereaved families and friends will gather to remember the victims.
Photo: FO Andreas Lubitz from his Facebook page.
