Lubitz searched net for suicide and cockpit security information

 Düsseldorf prosecutors said an examination of a tablet device recovered from Lubitz’s home revealed internet searches for suicide methods. On at least one day, Lubitz also spent several minutes searching for information about cockpit doors and security procedures, prosecutors said.
 Lubitz, 27, also searched for information on medical treatment in the week before the crash in the French Alps on March 24.
Prosecutors would not reveal the specific search terms he had used, but confirmed that Lubitz had not deleted the search history on the device.
 The revelations are likely to underpin French prosecutors’ initial findings that Lubitz crashed the Airbus A320 deliberately.
In the days since the tragedy, investigators have pieced together a psychological profile of Lubitz, who dreamt from a young age of becoming a pilot but had to break off his training due to illness.
 Lufthansa confirmed this week that Lubitz had sent an email to its pilot training school in 2009 revealing he had previously suffered an episode of severe depression. However, the parent company of Germanwings did not say when this occurred or what the school did with the information.
 Lubitz had psychotherapy several years ago when doctors diagnosed suicidal tendencies and he subsequently saw neurologists and psychiatrists.
 Nevertheless, he was passed as fit to continue his training and started work as a co-pilot in 2013.
Local media reported that in the months leading up to the crash he became worried that his eyesight was deteriorating, which might have put an end to his flying career. Prosecutors have not confirmed this.
 Lubitz had a sick note excusing him from work on the day of the crash but he elected not to tell his employer and reported for duty.
French investigators hope to uncover information on the aircraft’s exact movements from a second black box that has been recovered from the mountainside.
“The black box will allow us to confirm there was only one pilot in the cockpit,” said Brice Robin, the Marseilles prosecutor.
The first black box, a voice recorder that revealed how the pilot had tried unsuccessfully to re-enter the cockpit, was recovered last week.
 German authorities said on Thursday they would form an expert group to learn lessons from the disaster. The group, which is set to include industry representatives, will review issues such as cockpit door procedures as well as medical and psychological checks on pilots.
 Lufthansa has come under pressure to explain why it was unaware of its pilot’s health troubles. The airline said Lubitz passed all health checks and to its knowledge was “100 per cent fit to fly”.
 Mr Robin said that investigators had been able to obtain 150 separate DNA profiles from body parts recovered from the crash site, but they had not yet matched the DNA samples to the 150 people on board the plane.

Source
Financial Times.