Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot who was behind last year's crash of a German airliner full of passengers in what was believed to be a suicide, had been prescribed depressants and been referred to a psychiatric hospital two weeks before, according to a final report on the tragedy.
The report by the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses said Lubitz, 27, was given anti-depressives and had been "signed off" work by two doctors, but neither told Lufthansa that the pilot was not fit the fly the Germanwings aircraft, reported
The Guardian. Lufthansa is Germanwings' parent company.
The report said a private doctor recommended that Lubitz be admitted to a psychiatric hospital before he crashed the Germanwings flight into the French Alps last March 24, killing all 150 aboard.
NBC News said Lubitz was given a U.S. pilot license by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2010 even in light of his mental health concerns. Online records showed he applied to work for Lufthansa in 2010 and trained at a Phoenix flight school.
Lubitz's first application to the FAA stated he didn't have any medical issues, but he submitted the form again saying was treated for severe depression from 2008 to 2009, noted NBC News.
Despite the revelations, the BEA report concluded that nothing could have done in advance to stop Lubitz from carrying out the suspected incident, noted The Guardian.
"No action could have been taken by the authorities and/or his employer to prevent him from flying that day, because they were informed by neither the co-pilot himself, nor by anyone else, such as a physician, a colleague or family member," said the report.
Arnaud Desjardin, head of the BEA investigation, said during a news conference that Lubitz never informed Germanwings about his doctors' warnings and blamed Germany's strict privacy laws for doctors not approaching authorities, said the
International Business Times.
"That's why I think clearer rules are needed to preserve public security," Desjardin said.
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