As more details surface about the personal life of Andreas Lubitz, co-pilot of the doomed Germanwings flight, the image of a deeply troubled individual becomes clearer.
It has emerged today that the 28-year-old had sought treatment for his eyesight, as he feared he was going blind. Whether this was in actual fact due to a physiological affliction, or a psychosomatic one remains unclear, however.
Lubitz knew that any issues with his eyesight would spell the end of his flying career, so he hid them from his employers. And though he had been attending visits with four psychiatric experts, he also managed to conceal the extent of his mental distress from everyone. The doctors treating him could not disclose any details regarding his treatment due to strict patient confidentiality issues, and in any case they may not have necessarily known he was a pilot.
Antidepressants were found unused in Lubitz’s home, along with diary entries stating that he was under a lot of stress and could not do his job properly.
Airline bosses are coming under increased criticism as to how much they knew about his mental state, and why was he allowed to continue flying despite his long battle with mental illness.