Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 28 Maret 2015 | 20.49
By Mike McCarthy, Sky News Correspondent
Single candles placed discreetly in neat gardens indicate expressions of sympathy in the pretty German town of Montabaur.
Had it not been for the droves of camera crews however - you would hardly notice that this was the home town of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz.
In the shops and cafes you can hear people speaking quietly about the media presence in this little, part-medieval place but there's not much conversation about him.
"Do you think the outside world will associate us with him?" asks one shop assistant who prefers not to be named and studiously avoids mention of THAT name.
The town's mayor too chooses not to utter the word "Lubitz".
Video:Co-Pilot's Hometown In Shock
In a brief statement, Edmund Schaaf said: "Our hearts and minds go to all victims and their relatives. We ask the media to respect the privacy of the family. There will be no further statements."
Montabaur is dominated by a striking castle painted yellow. It overlooks the attractive hillside town which feels as though it can't wait to shake off winter.
These are the streets that Lubitz walked. These are the shops and bars where he spent his time and money. He grew up here and they know him but they're deeply reluctant to discuss him.
Video:Is Pilot Testing Rigorous Enough?
Cafe waitress Simona Nardelli offers the slightest glimpse of the man she served regularly.
"He was just a normal guy. He drank his cappuccino. Nothing else."
She's more keen to talk about the media presence.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
"Its sad there is so much journalistic interest in the family now," she said.
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Video:Knox 'Grateful' For Acquittal
Amanda Knox said she was "full of joy" after she and Raffaele Sollecito were acquitted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
A tearful Ms Knox added she was "grateful" following the judgement by Italy's top court, which brings an eight-year legal saga to a close.
"I'm still absorbing the present moment, which is full of joy," she told reporters outside her family home in Seattle.
Ms Knox also said she was thankful "for the justice I've received and for the support I've had from everyone - from my family, from my friends, to strangers. I'm so grateful to have my life back".
Amanda Knox and Rafaelle Sollecito
Asked about Ms Kercher, she replied: "Meredith was my friend. She deserved so much in this life. I'm the lucky one."
Ms Kercher's family said they were shocked by the judges' ruling, although they knew it was a possibility.
1/24
Gallery: Meredith Kercher Murder: Key Events
2 November 2007: The body of Meredith Kercher, 21, is found in her Perugia apartment. Investigators say she was killed the night before
Ms Kercher's flatmate, Amanda Knox, is pictured kissing her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in the days after the murder
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Police investigate the scene of the crime
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6 November 2007: Knox is arrested along with Sollecito and Diya 'Patrick' Lumumba, the Congolese owner of the pub where Knox occasionally worked
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20 November 2007: Mr Lumumba, implicated by Knox in her statements to police, is released from jail for lack of evidence
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In a statement they said: "Emotions are naturally raw at this stage. The decision came as a shock but was an outcome we knew was possible, even if it wasn't what we expected.
"We now understand this decision to be definitive and the end of what has been a long and difficult process for all concerned.
"We believe we will learn of the full reasoning behind the decision in the coming months but for now we need some time to take this in and remember Meredith, the victim at the heart of this."
Ms Kercher, who was 21 and from Coulsdon, Surrey, was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in Perugia in 2007.
Her flatmate Knox, also a student, and Knox's then-boyfriend Sollecito spent four years in jail for the murder but were freed on appeal in 2011.
Knox, now 27, returned to the US before an appeal court threw out the acquittal and reinstated the guilty verdicts last year.
But the legal seesawing now seems to be over after both convictions were annulled by Italy's Supreme Court.
"Finished!" declared Knox's lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, after the decision was read out.
He then called his client, who was "crying because she was so happy".
Within minutes Knox, who had remained in Seattle, released a statement saying: "I am tremendously relieved and grateful for the decision of the Supreme Court of Italy.
"The knowledge of my innocence has given me strength in the darkest times of this ordeal."
The judges, after 10 hours of deliberation, concluded that a conviction could not be supported by the evidence. Their reasoning will be released within 90 days.
Sollecito's lawyer, Giulia Bongiorno, shouted "Yes, yes, yes" after the judgement was read out.
"You never saw Raffaele pleading, or praying. He has been a rock," she said.
"He is at home with his father and he is very happy. The verdict has proved him completely right."
A lawyer for the Kerchers, Francesco Maresca, expressed very different sentiments, saying: "This is not so much a defeat for the prosecution as a defeat for Italy's justice system."
The original guilty verdicts led to sentences of 28 years for Knox and 25 years for Sollecito.
The couple maintained their innocence, insisting that they had spent the evening together at Sollecito's watching a movie, smoking marijuana and having sex.
Another man, Rudy Guede, from Ivory Coast, was arrested, tried and convicted of the murder in a separate trial and is serving a 16-year sentence.
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Amanda Knox 'Grateful' For Meredith Acquittal
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Video:Knox 'Grateful' For Acquittal
Amanda Knox said she was "full of joy" after she and Raffaele Sollecito were acquitted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
A tearful Ms Knox added she was "grateful" following the judgement by Italy's top court, which brings an eight-year legal saga to a close.
"I'm still absorbing the present moment, which is full of joy," she told reporters outside her family home in Seattle.
Ms Knox also said she was thankful "for the justice I've received and for the support I've had from everyone - from my family, from my friends, to strangers. I'm so grateful to have my life back".
Amanda Knox and Rafaelle Sollecito
Asked about Ms Kercher, she replied: "Meredith was my friend. She deserved so much in this life. I'm the lucky one."
Ms Kercher's family said they were shocked by the judges' ruling, although they knew it was a possibility.
1/24
Gallery: Meredith Kercher Murder: Key Events
2 November 2007: The body of Meredith Kercher, 21, is found in her Perugia apartment. Investigators say she was killed the night before
Ms Kercher's flatmate, Amanda Knox, is pictured kissing her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in the days after the murder
]]>
Police investigate the scene of the crime
]]>
6 November 2007: Knox is arrested along with Sollecito and Diya 'Patrick' Lumumba, the Congolese owner of the pub where Knox occasionally worked
]]>
20 November 2007: Mr Lumumba, implicated by Knox in her statements to police, is released from jail for lack of evidence
]]>
In a statement they said: "Emotions are naturally raw at this stage. The decision came as a shock but was an outcome we knew was possible, even if it wasn't what we expected.
"We now understand this decision to be definitive and the end of what has been a long and difficult process for all concerned.
"We believe we will learn of the full reasoning behind the decision in the coming months but for now we need some time to take this in and remember Meredith, the victim at the heart of this."
Ms Kercher, who was 21 and from Coulsdon, Surrey, was sexually assaulted and stabbed to death in Perugia in 2007.
Her flatmate Knox, also a student, and Knox's then-boyfriend Sollecito spent four years in jail for the murder but were freed on appeal in 2011.
Knox, now 27, returned to the US before an appeal court threw out the acquittal and reinstated the guilty verdicts last year.
But the legal seesawing now seems to be over after both convictions were annulled by Italy's Supreme Court.
"Finished!" declared Knox's lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, after the decision was read out.
He then called his client, who was "crying because she was so happy".
Within minutes Knox, who had remained in Seattle, released a statement saying: "I am tremendously relieved and grateful for the decision of the Supreme Court of Italy.
"The knowledge of my innocence has given me strength in the darkest times of this ordeal."
The judges, after 10 hours of deliberation, concluded that a conviction could not be supported by the evidence. Their reasoning will be released within 90 days.
Sollecito's lawyer, Giulia Bongiorno, shouted "Yes, yes, yes" after the judgement was read out.
"You never saw Raffaele pleading, or praying. He has been a rock," she said.
"He is at home with his father and he is very happy. The verdict has proved him completely right."
A lawyer for the Kerchers, Francesco Maresca, expressed very different sentiments, saying: "This is not so much a defeat for the prosecution as a defeat for Italy's justice system."
The original guilty verdicts led to sentences of 28 years for Knox and 25 years for Sollecito.
The couple maintained their innocence, insisting that they had spent the evening together at Sollecito's watching a movie, smoking marijuana and having sex.
Another man, Rudy Guede, from Ivory Coast, was arrested, tried and convicted of the murder in a separate trial and is serving a 16-year sentence.
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Video:Pilot Said He Would 'Do Something'
A former girlfriend of the co-pilot accused of deliberately crashing a Germanwings plane is reported to have told how he suffered nightmares and once ominously woke up screaming: "We're going down!"
According to the Bild newspaper, the ex-lover of Andreas Lubitz, identified only as Mary W, said he had told her last year: "One day I will do something that will change the whole system, and then all will know my name and remember it."
She added: "I never knew what he meant, but now it makes sense."
The 26-year-old stewardess said Lubitz had been tormented by nightmares and his behaviour scared her.
"At night, he woke up and screamed: 'We're going down!', because he had nightmares. He knew how to hide from other people what was really going on inside," she told the paper.
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
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Argentinian Sebastian Greco was on board with his girlfriend. Pic: Facebook
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Argentinian Gabriela Maumus, 28, was the daughter of a firefighter. Pic: Facebook
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Spanish victim Carles Milla Masanas, 37. The businessman was on his way to a food industry fayre. Pic: Facebook
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Her claims follow revelations by German prosecutors that Lubitz had hidden a sick note declaring him unfit to work on the day of the disaster before boarding the Barcelona to Dusseldorf flight and piloting it into a mountainside in the French Alps.
All 150 people on board the Airbus A320 were killed in the crash.
The prosecutors' office said: "Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors.
"The fact there are sick notes saying he was unable to work, among other things, that were found torn up, which were recent and even from the day of the crime, support the assumption based on the preliminary examination that the deceased hid his illness from his employer and his professional colleagues."
Video:Is Pilot Testing Rigorous Enough?
Germanwings confirmed the sick note was not submitted to the company.
The prosecutors also said the search found no suicide note or confession, "nor was there any evidence of a political or religious background to what happened".
Lubitz lived with his parents, a banker and a church organist, in his small home town of Montabaur in the Rhineland and kept an apartment in Dusseldorf.
A national memorial ceremony and service for victims is to be held at Cologne Cathedral on April 17, regional authorities said on Saturday.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
German media has reported Lubitz received treatment for a "serious depressive episode" six years ago during his training to become a pilot.
Lufthansa, parent company of Germanwings, said it was aware he had broken off his training in 2009, but said there was nothing in his background to suggest he was a risk.
The company, which also owns Austrian Airlines and Swiss Air, said he passed all the relevant examinations necessary to become a pilot and was deemed "100% airworthy".
Some 75 German people were on board the aircraft. At least 50 Spanish citizens were also on the flight, along with three Britons.
Video:Co-Pilot's Hometown In Shock
On Friday, a memorial service was held in Dusseldorf for the German victims of the crash and hundreds of other mourners attended a mass in Barcelona for three generations of one family who died.
Lufthansa said family briefings are planned for later today at its family assistance centre in the French city of Marseille.
The airline also announced it would pay up to 50,000 euros (£36,000) in immediate financial assistance per passenger.
Police and rescue workers are still hunting for the aircraft's second black box on the fifth day of recovery operations at the scene of the crash.
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We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Pilot Said He Would 'Do Something'
A former girlfriend of the co-pilot accused of deliberately crashing a Germanwings plane is reported to have told how he suffered nightmares and once ominously woke up screaming: "We're going down!"
According to the Bild newspaper, the ex-lover of Andreas Lubitz, identified only as Mary W, said he had told her last year: "One day I will do something that will change the whole system, and then all will know my name and remember it."
She added: "I never knew what he meant, but now it makes sense."
The 26-year-old stewardess said Lubitz had been tormented by nightmares and his behaviour scared her.
"At night, he woke up and screamed: 'We're going down!', because he had nightmares. He knew how to hide from other people what was really going on inside," she told the paper.
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
]]>
Argentinian Sebastian Greco was on board with his girlfriend. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Argentinian Gabriela Maumus, 28, was the daughter of a firefighter. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Spanish victim Carles Milla Masanas, 37. The businessman was on his way to a food industry fayre. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Her claims follow revelations by German prosecutors that Lubitz had hidden a sick note declaring him unfit to work on the day of the disaster before boarding the Barcelona to Dusseldorf flight and piloting it into a mountainside in the French Alps.
All 150 people on board the Airbus A320 were killed in the crash.
The prosecutors' office said: "Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors.
"The fact there are sick notes saying he was unable to work, among other things, that were found torn up, which were recent and even from the day of the crime, support the assumption based on the preliminary examination that the deceased hid his illness from his employer and his professional colleagues."
Video:Is Pilot Testing Rigorous Enough?
Germanwings confirmed the sick note was not submitted to the company.
The prosecutors also said the search found no suicide note or confession, "nor was there any evidence of a political or religious background to what happened".
Lubitz lived with his parents, a banker and a church organist, in his small home town of Montabaur in the Rhineland and kept an apartment in Dusseldorf.
A national memorial ceremony and service for victims is to be held at Cologne Cathedral on April 17, regional authorities said on Saturday.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
German media has reported Lubitz received treatment for a "serious depressive episode" six years ago during his training to become a pilot.
Lufthansa, parent company of Germanwings, said it was aware he had broken off his training in 2009, but said there was nothing in his background to suggest he was a risk.
The company, which also owns Austrian Airlines and Swiss Air, said he passed all the relevant examinations necessary to become a pilot and was deemed "100% airworthy".
Some 75 German people were on board the aircraft. At least 50 Spanish citizens were also on the flight, along with three Britons.
Video:Co-Pilot's Hometown In Shock
On Friday, a memorial service was held in Dusseldorf for the German victims of the crash and hundreds of other mourners attended a mass in Barcelona for three generations of one family who died.
Lufthansa said family briefings are planned for later today at its family assistance centre in the French city of Marseille.
The airline also announced it would pay up to 50,000 euros (£36,000) in immediate financial assistance per passenger.
Police and rescue workers are still hunting for the aircraft's second black box on the fifth day of recovery operations at the scene of the crash.
Technology offers the hope that the Germanwings plane disaster will never happen again, experts have told Sky News.
Systems are already in place to fly unmanned planes from the ground, but they are currently only used in the military sphere.
French prosecutors have said that the captain of the Germanwings plane was locked out of the cockpit as Andreas Lupitz sent the Airbus A320 into a mountain in the French Alps.
In 2009, Honeywell was awarded a patent for a fly-by-wire system that could take control of a plane's cockpit controls and remotely pilot a commercial plane to prevent "unauthorised-flight" and maintain "stable flight".
It has been suggested that the system or others like it could have helped prevent not only the Germanwings disaster but also the disappearance of MH370 if there had been a way to alert ground staff to an on-board emergency.
Video:Pilot Said He Would 'Do Something'
Mischa Dohler, Head of King's College London's Centre for Telecommunications Research, told Sky News: "We have all the technology in place so the aircraft can talk to the ground directly or via the satellite link, so that is all possible. It's just a question of cost.
"At the end of the day, you just need to pay for the infrastructure or a data plan, in the same way as you might pay for your mobile phones.
"The airlines have to decide whether they are willing to invest that money to add that extra real-time safety to airplanes."
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
David Cummins, Head of Flight Operations at UMS Aerogroup and an expert on unmanned aircraft, said: "We not at the stage where we are talking about autonomous systems that will operate and look after the aircraft.
"We are talking about automated systems where ultimately man, an operator, will always be in the loop."
He told Sky News there are systems in existence that could keep a plane safer without requiring one to be controlled from the ground.
Video:Airbus Video On Anti-Terror Doors
"We need a number of years (before) we will ever see the first unmanned commercial aircraft but there are checks and balances that can be put into play.
"You can look at collision avoidance - the Germanwings is an example - there is technology that exists and is in place that could help.
"There's also sense-and-avoid systems on aircraft that will also be the pilot's eyes on an aircraft. So there are a number of steps we can take.
Video:Was Crash Planned Or Impulsive?
"We are years away from doing it, but the technology exists and its about putting the time and effort and ultimately the finance.
"What the aviation industry is very good at is not knee-jerk reaction. You've got to remember that this is still an incredibly safe method of travel."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 27 Maret 2015 | 20.48
Co-Pilot 'Hid Sick Note On Day Of Alps Crash'
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Video:Crash Site - Latest Search Video
Prosecutors investigating the Germanwings crash have said there were indications the co-pilot hid his illness from his employers.
In a news conference on Friday, the prosecutors said that Andreas Lubitz had a sick note for the day the Airbus A320 crashed into a mountainside during a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf but never told the airline.
The torn-up note, which would have prevented the 27-year-old from flying, was found during searches of his flat in Dusseldorf and the home he shared with his parents in the town of Montabaur.
The prosecutors added that documents showed he was receiving medical treatment, but that no suicide note or claim of responsibility for the crash was found.
They said: "Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors.
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
]]>
Argentinian Sebastian Greco was on board with his girlfriend. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Argentinian Gabriela Maumus, 28, was the daughter of a firefighter. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Spanish victim Carles Milla Masanas, 37. The businessman was on his way to a food industry fayre. Pic: Facebook
]]>
"The fact there are sick notes saying he was unable to work, among other things, that were found torn up, which were recent and even from the day of the crime, support the assumption based on the preliminary examination that the deceased hid his illness from his employer and his professional colleagues."
No evidence of a political or religious motivation behind the crash was found.
Lubitz has been accused of deliberately flying the aircraft into a mountainside shortly after preventing the captain from re-entering the cockpit.
Video:How The Co-Pilot Took Control
All 150 on board the aircraft died in the crash.
German media has reported that Lubitz received treatment for a "serious depressive episode" six years ago during his training to become a pilot.
Lufthansa, parent company of Germanwings, said it was aware he had broken off his training in 2009, but said there was nothing in his background to suggest he was a risk.
Video:Memorial For Victims In Haltern
Chief executive Carsten Spohr said on Thursday: "After he was cleared again, he resumed training. He passed all the subsequent tests and checks with flying colours. His flying abilities were flawless."
On Friday, Germanwings said it was setting up a family assistance centre in Marseille for relatives of those killed in the crash.
Spokesman Thomas Winkelmann said in a statement that "in these dark hours our full attention belongs to the emotional support of the relatives and friends of the victims of Flight 9525."
Video:Prosecutor: Crash "Deliberate"
Some relatives took part in a memorial service on Thursday near the crash site in the French Alps.
German President Joachim Gauck also attended a memorial service in Haltern for 16 students and two teachers from the local high school who were killed.
Police and rescue workers are still hunting for the aircraft's second black box on the fourth day of recovery operations at the scene of the crash.
Video:Medical Documents Found In Flat
The second black box contains technical flight data.
Officials are also searching the wreckage for body parts and DNA to try and identify the 150 people killed in the crash.
Some 75 German people were on board the aircraft, which was flying from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. At least 50 Spanish citizens were also on the flight, along with three Britons.
Video:How Airlines Deal With Pilot Stress
:: Watch a special report on the plane crash at 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 6.30pm on Friday on Sky News. Or you can watch it on catch up or any of the Sky News apps.
1/8
Gallery: What We Know About Germanwings Pilot Andreas Lubitz
Andreas Lubitz grew up in Montabaur, a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Lubitz started flying from an early age at the LSC Westerwald flying club in his hometown. It was here where he obtained his gliding licence as a teenager
]]>
Video:A Look Inside An Airbus Cockpit
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Co-Pilot 'Hid Sick Note On Day Of Alps Crash'
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Crash Site - Latest Search Video
Prosecutors investigating the Germanwings crash have said there were indications the co-pilot hid his illness from his employers.
In a news conference on Friday, the prosecutors said that Andreas Lubitz had a sick note for the day the Airbus A320 crashed into a mountainside during a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf but never told the airline.
The torn-up note, which would have prevented the 27-year-old from flying, was found during searches of his flat in Dusseldorf and the home he shared with his parents in the town of Montabaur.
The prosecutors added that documents showed he was receiving medical treatment, but that no suicide note or claim of responsibility for the crash was found.
They said: "Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors.
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
]]>
Argentinian Sebastian Greco was on board with his girlfriend. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Argentinian Gabriela Maumus, 28, was the daughter of a firefighter. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Spanish victim Carles Milla Masanas, 37. The businessman was on his way to a food industry fayre. Pic: Facebook
]]>
"The fact there are sick notes saying he was unable to work, among other things, that were found torn up, which were recent and even from the day of the crime, support the assumption based on the preliminary examination that the deceased hid his illness from his employer and his professional colleagues."
No evidence of a political or religious motivation behind the crash was found.
Lubitz has been accused of deliberately flying the aircraft into a mountainside shortly after preventing the captain from re-entering the cockpit.
Video:How The Co-Pilot Took Control
All 150 on board the aircraft died in the crash.
German media has reported that Lubitz received treatment for a "serious depressive episode" six years ago during his training to become a pilot.
Lufthansa, parent company of Germanwings, said it was aware he had broken off his training in 2009, but said there was nothing in his background to suggest he was a risk.
Video:Memorial For Victims In Haltern
Chief executive Carsten Spohr said on Thursday: "After he was cleared again, he resumed training. He passed all the subsequent tests and checks with flying colours. His flying abilities were flawless."
On Friday, Germanwings said it was setting up a family assistance centre in Marseille for relatives of those killed in the crash.
Spokesman Thomas Winkelmann said in a statement that "in these dark hours our full attention belongs to the emotional support of the relatives and friends of the victims of Flight 9525."
Video:Prosecutor: Crash "Deliberate"
Some relatives took part in a memorial service on Thursday near the crash site in the French Alps.
German President Joachim Gauck also attended a memorial service in Haltern for 16 students and two teachers from the local high school who were killed.
Police and rescue workers are still hunting for the aircraft's second black box on the fourth day of recovery operations at the scene of the crash.
Video:Medical Documents Found In Flat
The second black box contains technical flight data.
Officials are also searching the wreckage for body parts and DNA to try and identify the 150 people killed in the crash.
Some 75 German people were on board the aircraft, which was flying from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. At least 50 Spanish citizens were also on the flight, along with three Britons.
Video:How Airlines Deal With Pilot Stress
:: Watch a special report on the plane crash at 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 6.30pm on Friday on Sky News. Or you can watch it on catch up or any of the Sky News apps.
1/8
Gallery: What We Know About Germanwings Pilot Andreas Lubitz
Andreas Lubitz grew up in Montabaur, a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany
Lubitz started flying from an early age at the LSC Westerwald flying club in his hometown. It was here where he obtained his gliding licence as a teenager
]]>
Video:A Look Inside An Airbus Cockpit
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Breaking News: Killer Co-Pilot: A Profile Of Andreas Lubitz
Breaking News: Live Updates: Plane Crash Investigation
The co-pilot who deliberately crashed a plane in the French Alps with the loss of 150 lives had a history of depression, it has been reported.
The focus on Andreas Lubitz's mental health comes after a French prosecutor concluded the 27-year-old had deliberately flown the Germanwings Airbus 320 into the mountainside killing all those on board.
According to reports in German newspaper Der Spiegel, police searching Lubitz's apartment in Dusseldorf have found evidence that he was mentally ill, although the nature of the evidence has not been disclosed.
And German prosecutors have said there are indications the co-pilot concealed his illness from his employer, hiding a sick note for the day of the crash.
Matthias Gebauer, chief correspondent for the online edition of German newspaper Der Spiegel, tweeted: "Schoolmates of co-pilot who crashed tell German reporters he took six-months break from flight training in 2009 due to burnout-syndrome."
Video:Co-Pilot's Neighbour In Shock
The head of Lufthansa, the budget airline's parent company, has already admitted Lubitz had taken the lengthy break from training.
While chief executive Carsten Spohr did not give a reason for this interruption, German media reported he was suffering from "burnout or depression".
:: Click here for live updates of the Alps plane crash investigation
Mr Spohr said: "I cannot tell you anything about the reasons of this interruption, but anybody who interrupts the training has to do a lot of tests so the competence and fitness would be checked again."
According to Lufthansa, Germanwings pilots undergo medical tests once a year.
However, they are only required to undergo psychological tests once, before they are accepted as pilots.
Lubitz also underwent a regular security check on 27 January and nothing untoward was found, the local government in Dusseldorf said.
Video:Prosecutor: Crash "Deliberate"
Previous security checks in 2008 and 2010 also revealed no problems.
Lubitz had grown up dreaming of becoming a pilot, gaining his glider's licence after training with LSC Westerwald flying club in his hometown of Montabaur.
Club member Peter Ruecker recalled Mr Lubitz as "rather quiet but friendly" when he first joined the club as a teenager.
He added: "He was happy he had the job with Germanwings and he was doing well."
Lubitz had been employed as a flight attendant before training to be a pilot at the Lufthansa flight school in Bremen.
He also underwent training in Phoenix, Arizona.
Lubitz joined Germanwings in 2013 and had clocked up 630 flying hours before the disaster.
Video:A Look Inside An Airbus Cockpit
Lufthansa said he passed all the relevant examinations necessary to become a pilot and was deemed "100% airworthy".
Mr Lubitz had also been included by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its database to show he had met or exceeded its pilot certification standards, which aim to "reduce pilot errors that lead to fatal crashes".
In Montabaur where Lubitz lived with his parents, neighbours reacted with disbelief when they heard of his involvement.
One man, who did not want to be named, said that he had known the pilot since childhood.
He told Sky News: "I cannot imagine that he has done it with intention.
"This does not fit in this picture I have of him. It is a very upright family, very helpful and I cannot understand what has happened.
"I knew the children when they were small boys."
Video:How Airlines Deal With Pilot Stress
Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin said Lubitz, who also had a flat in Dusseldorf, had never been flagged as a terrorist.
And when pressed over Mr Lubitz's religion, he said: "I don't think this is where this lies. I don't think we will get any answers there."
Although rare, there have been previous instances of suspected pilot suicide.
The most infamous likely - but still disputed - cases of pilot suicide was the 1997 Silk Air crash in Indonesia, in which 104 people died.
A US-led investigation concluded it had been caused deliberately, probably by the captain who had serious personal problems.
A Mozambique Airlines plane crash that killed 33 people in Namibia in 2013 is also believed to have been a case of pilot suicide.
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Clarkson has called on people to leave Mr Tymon alone
Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer punched by Jeremy Clarkson during a row over food, has told police he does not want to press charges.
Mr Tymon had to drive himself to hospital when he was left with swelling and a split lip after the Top Gear presenter launched an "unprovoked" attack on him at a hotel in North Yorkshire on 4 March.
Clarkson's Top Gear contract has not been renewed by the BBC after an internal investigation found he had "crossed a line".
The outspoken presenter received widespread public support - including from his friend, Prime Minister David Cameron - while one million people signed a petition calling for the BBC to reinstate him.
But Mr Tymon has received huge abuse from trolls on Twitter, including death threats.
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Gallery: Who Could Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd is a well-known car expert and amateur racing driver. She currently presents The Classic Car Show on Channel 5
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry famously drives a black cab around London and would be a popular choice for many
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Chris Evans has repeatedly denied that he is interested in the job but bookies still seem to think he's a hot contender
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Comedian Steve Coogan has appeared on Top Gear several times, but since then has been critical of the show's brand of humour
]]>
Former racing driver Eddie Irvine would certainly tick the boxes in terms of car knowledge, but his lack of TV experience could count against him
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On Thursday, Clarkson called on people to leave Mr Tymon alone "because none of this was his fault".
Mr Tymon's lawyer Paul Daniels issued a statement in which he said: "Mr Tymon has informed the police that he doesn't want to press charges.
"The events of the last few weeks have been extremely unpleasant for everyone involved. The matter has taken a great toll on Oisin, his family and his friends.
Video:Clarkson Gets On His Bike
"Quite simply, Mr Tymon just wishes to return now to the job at the BBC he loves, as soon as possible. Further, the BBC have, in his view, taken action with a view to addressing the issues at hand.
"Mr Tymon agrees with the BBC's stated view that all parties should now be allowed to move on, so far as possible."
North Yorkshire Police, which has already spoken to some potential witnesses, said the force is still investigating the incident.
Video:James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
A spokesman said: "Inquiries are ongoing."
Two major companies, Sky and Channel 4, are understood to have ruled out working with Clarkson, while ITV would not comment on "a BBC issue".
Chris Evans leads the betting as favourite to take over at the show, even though he has ruled himself out on more than one occasion.
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We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Clarkson has called on people to leave Mr Tymon alone
Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer punched by Jeremy Clarkson during a row over food, has told police he does not want to press charges.
Mr Tymon had to drive himself to hospital when he was left with swelling and a split lip after the Top Gear presenter launched an "unprovoked" attack on him at a hotel in North Yorkshire on 4 March.
Clarkson's Top Gear contract has not been renewed by the BBC after an internal investigation found he had "crossed a line".
The outspoken presenter received widespread public support - including from his friend, Prime Minister David Cameron - while one million people signed a petition calling for the BBC to reinstate him.
But Mr Tymon has received huge abuse from trolls on Twitter, including death threats.
1/11
Gallery: Who Could Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd is a well-known car expert and amateur racing driver. She currently presents The Classic Car Show on Channel 5
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry famously drives a black cab around London and would be a popular choice for many
]]>
Chris Evans has repeatedly denied that he is interested in the job but bookies still seem to think he's a hot contender
]]>
Comedian Steve Coogan has appeared on Top Gear several times, but since then has been critical of the show's brand of humour
]]>
Former racing driver Eddie Irvine would certainly tick the boxes in terms of car knowledge, but his lack of TV experience could count against him
]]>
On Thursday, Clarkson called on people to leave Mr Tymon alone "because none of this was his fault".
Mr Tymon's lawyer Paul Daniels issued a statement in which he said: "Mr Tymon has informed the police that he doesn't want to press charges.
"The events of the last few weeks have been extremely unpleasant for everyone involved. The matter has taken a great toll on Oisin, his family and his friends.
Video:Clarkson Gets On His Bike
"Quite simply, Mr Tymon just wishes to return now to the job at the BBC he loves, as soon as possible. Further, the BBC have, in his view, taken action with a view to addressing the issues at hand.
"Mr Tymon agrees with the BBC's stated view that all parties should now be allowed to move on, so far as possible."
North Yorkshire Police, which has already spoken to some potential witnesses, said the force is still investigating the incident.
Video:James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
A spokesman said: "Inquiries are ongoing."
Two major companies, Sky and Channel 4, are understood to have ruled out working with Clarkson, while ITV would not comment on "a BBC issue".
Chris Evans leads the betting as favourite to take over at the show, even though he has ruled himself out on more than one occasion.
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Breaking News: Co-Pilot 'Hid Sick Note On Day Of Alps Crash'
Breaking News: Killer Co-Pilot: A Profile Of Andreas Lubitz
Breaking News: Live Updates: Plane Crash Investigation
The co-pilot of a plane which crashed in the Alps activated the descent button and refused to open the cockpit door to the pilot.
Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin says the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, 28, was alone at the controls of the Germanwings flight and "intentionally" sent the plane into the doomed descent.
He said that the crew member - who won a Federal Aviation Authority award in 2013 - wanted to "destroy the plane".
He said: "We assume the (captain) went to the loo or something. The co-pilot is on his own in charge of the plane, and it is while he is alone that he uses the flight monitoring system which starts the descent of the plane."
The flight monitoring system cannot be accidentally triggered, he added.
Video:Alps Crash Likely Deliberate
"We hear several cries from the captain asking to get in. Through the intercom system he identifies himself - but there is no answer. He knocks on the door and asks for it to be opened - but there is no answer."
The plane ploughed into the side of a mountain at around 430mph, killing all of those on board instantly.
"I think the victims only realised at the last moment because on the recording you only hear the screams literally on the last moments of the recording."
Mr Robin said Mr Lubitz was a German national but does not know his ethnicity or religion.
He said there is nothing to indicate that this was a terrorism-related event. He said he would not speculate on whether the co-pilot had committed suicide.
He said the families are in a "state of shock" and "can't believe what has happened".
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Mr Lubitz is understood to have joined the airline in 2013 straight after training.
Breathing could be heard from the cockpit and was normal, which has led investigators to believe he was conscious at the time.
There was no contact made with air traffic control in the final eight minutes of the flight.
Some 500 people are now working on the investigation, which is hampered by the remote location of the crash.
Each body must be removed by helicopter as the mountainside is very steep. The recovery process is expected to take a week.
Relatives of the co-pilot are in France and being kept away from grieving relatives.
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The co-pilot of Flight 9525 which crashed in the French Alps wanted to "destroy the plane", a prosecutor has said.
Andreas Lubitz, who was 28 and a German national, is understood to have joined the Germanwings airline in 2013 straight after training.
It is also reported Mr Lubitz had been included by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on its database to show he had met or exceeded its pilot certification standards, which aim to "reduce pilot errors that lead to fatal crashes".
The certfication is seen as the difference between "a safe flight and one that ends in tragedy".
Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin says Mr Lubitz was alone at the controls of the Airbus A320 and "intentionally" put the plane into the disastrous descent.
He had refused to let the captain back into the cockpit.
Mr Robin said Mr Lubitz had never been flagged as a terrorist.
And when pressed over Mr Lubitz's religion, he said: "I don't think this is where this lies. I don't think we will get any answers there."
Mr Robin said the plane's black box recordings showed Mr Lubitz "was breathing normally, it wasn't the breathing of someone who was struggling".
The passenger plane crashed on Tuesday en route from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, killing all 150 people on board, including three Britons.
Civil Aviation Authority has said as part of the European Aviation Safety Agency medical checks of fitness to fly, pilots will be asked questions to gauge their mental health.
If there are concerns about an individual's state of mind they will be referred for a more in depth assessment.
Although rare, there have been previous instances of pilot suicide.
The most infamous likely but disputed cases of pilot suicide was the 1997 Silk Air crash in Indonesia, in which 104 people died.
A US-led investigation concluded it had been caused deliberately, probably by the captain who had serious personal problems.
The co-pilot of the Germanwings plane that crashed in the Alps intentionally sent the jet into its doomed descent.
Here are the details of the Airbus A320's final moments that emerged at a news conference given by Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin.
:: Mr Robin said it appears the co-pilot, who was a German national and who had never been flagged as a terrorist, appeared to want to "destroy the plane".
:: Prior to the cabin being locked, there was "normal" conversation between the pilot and co-pilot for the first 20 minutes of the flight, which had taken off from Barcelona in Spain bound for Dusseldorf in Germany.
:: The co-pilot's responses, although initially courteous, became "curt" when the pilot started the mid-flight briefing on the planned landing of the plane.
Video:'This Is A Game Changer'
:: The pilot is heard asking the co-pilot to take over and the sound of a chair being pushed back and a door being closed is heard.
:: The co-pilot was left on his own in charge of the plane, and it is then that he uses the flight monitoring system to start the descent of the plane.
:: The co-pilot did not say a word once the pilot left the cockpit. "It was absolute silence in the cockpit," said Mr Robin.
:: All that could be heard is the co-pilot's breathing. Mr Robin said the co-pilot was breathing normally. "It wasn't the breath of somebody who was struggling. He didn't say a single word. Total silence."
:: Several cries from the pilot can be heard, asking to get in.
:: He identifies himself through the intercom system, but there is no answer. He knocks on the door and asks for it to be opened, but again there is no answer.
:: Pounding could be heard on the door during the final minutes as alarms sounded. Finally the sound of an impact is heard.
:: The 144 passengers only realised at the last moment what was happening. Screams were only heard in the last moments of the recording, before impact. Mr Robin said: "We only hear screams at the very end. Death was instant. It hit the mountain at 700km (430mph) an hour."
:: Several calls from the control tower to the plane went unanswered, as did communications from other aircraft in the area.
:: The plane could have glided before the moment of impact. There was no distress signal, no Mayday and no answer despite numerous calls to the plane.
:: The co-pilot, who has been named as 28-year-old Andreas Lubitz, had a few hundred hours flying time on the aircraft.
:: There is no indication the crash is a terrorist act, Mr Robin said: "But obviously we will see how we will proceed."
:: Pressed on the co-pilot's religion, Mr Robin said: "I don't think this is where this lies. I don't think we will get any answers there."
:: The bodies of the victims are being retrieved by helicopter and put on stretchers and taken to a nearby unit where post-mortems are being carried out and DNA testing undertaken. The process could take more than a week.
