Lufthansa Knew About Copilot's History Of Depression Before The Crash

The copilot who caused the Germanwings crash made his employer aware he had a history of serious psychological issues.

According to Yahoo! News, German airline Lufthansa revealed earlier today that Andreas Lubitz had emailed them his medical records in 2009 stating he was had suffered from depression.

It was during that year when the 27-year-old took numerous months off from flight training school due to an unspecified mental breakdown.

Lufthansa said,

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.'

German prosecutors announced yesterday that Lubitz was declared suicidal a number of years before he earned his pilot's license.

But doctors have said he did not exhibit any dangerous psychological problems leading up to last Tuesday's tragedy.

Lubitz had torn up many recent doctors' notes, however, one of which declared he was not fit to fly on the day of the crash.

His previous treatment for anxiety and depression is said to have lasted over a year.

Audio recordings from the flight have lead prosecutors to believe Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit before intentionally steering the plane into the French Alps, instantly killing 150 people.

The motive for the act along with what may have caused his mental health to deteriorate remain unclear.

Citations: Pilot told Lufthansa in 2009 of previous episode of severe depression (Yahoo News)