Germanwings crash co-pilot Andrea Lubitz was suffering from a “psychosomatic” illness and police found numerous prescription medications in searches of his home, local media reported Sunday.
French investigators have said they believe Lubitz deliberately slammed Flight 479525 into the French Alps while his captain was locked out of the cockpit on Tuesday, killing all 150 aboard. Prosecutors have confirmed that searches of Lubitz’s home yielded torn-up doctor’s notes, including one that excused him from work the day of the crash, but declined to elaborate on the nature of any illness.
The Sunday edition of Germany’s leading Die Welt newspaper reported that police found “clear” evidence of a “psychosomatic illness” and uncovered several medications prescribed for psychological illness in the co-pilots apartment. The newspaper also quoted a high-ranking investigator as saying that Lubitz, 27, had been treated by several psychiatrists and neurologists. NBC News was not immediately able to confirm the report.
The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, quoting unnamed sources, reported Saturday that Lubitz sought treatment for vision troubles that may have affected his ability to fly a plane. The regional Rheinische Post newspaper said Sunday that Lubitz may have been facing retinal detachment. NBC News has not been able to independently verify those reports.
In response to the reports of Lubitz’s possible psychological issues and vision problems, Lufthansa told NBC News the airline had “no knowledge” of the co-pilot’s medical problems. This story originally appeared on NBC News
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