GERMANWINGS co-pilot Andreas Lubitz may have spiked his flight captain’s coffee with a diuretic drug that would have increased his need for the toilet and forced him to leave the cockpit.
Lubitz, 27, reportedly searched online for information about diuretic drugs before he crashed the Airbus 320 into the French Alps on March 24.
German newspaper Express.de reports that investigators found evidence of the searches on Lubitz’s laptop, but have not yet commented on the information.
Co-pilot Lubitz is believed to have locked captain Patrick Sondheimer, 36, out of the cockpit after he went to the toilet just 30 minutes into the flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf.
When consumed, diuretics increase the need to urinate and it is believed the drugs may have increased Mr Sondheimer’s need to go to the toilet.
Tragically, Mr Sondheimer was only working on the doomed flight because he had changed his roster to work shorter haul flights so he could spend more time with his family, Express.de reports.
The father of two — who has been hailed a hero — frantically tried to smash his way back into the cockpit as he shouted at Lubitz: “For God’s sake, open the door”.
Meanwhile, German aviation industry doctors say pilots should undergo more extensive medical checks in the wake of the Germanwings crash.
Germanwings parent company Lufthansa acknowledged last week that Lubitz had informed its flight school in mid-2009, when resuming training after a lengthy medical absence, that he had suffered from a “previous episode of severe depression”.
He later received the medical certificate confirming he was fit to fly.
German prosecutors said that Lubitz was diagnosed as suicidal “several years ago”, before he became a pilot, but doctors had recently found no sign he intended to hurt himself or others. However Lubitz was receiving treatment from neurologists and psychiatrists who had signed him off sick from work a number of times, including the day of the crash.
Ripped up sick notes were found in a flat used by Lubitz, which authorities believe indicates the pilot was trying to hide his illness from his employer.
....and my dog has two tails!
ReplyDeleteFirst the cockpit door research - what should the Internet tell A.L. about cockpit door security - he could have given them more detailed information instead. Every airline pilot has deep knowledge about security doors, even flight attendants have it.
Now this thing with diuretic drugs! They don't work that fast! And it is preposterous anyway! Sensation mongering shite! Perhaps the pilot had prostrate symptoms - he was pushing 50! And his Co knew that?
This will be the next google research of Al, which will be presented: Onset of prostrate symptoms in middle aged men.
Sad.