A Decade Since Germanwings Crash: Peering into Andreas Lubitz's Diary
- by Kerstin Herrnkind
- 11 Min Read
- Andreas Lubitz
- Germanwings
- Lufthansa
Reflections on Germanwings tragedy (2015): Personal accounts from Andreas Lubitz, the pilot involved - Reflections Ten Years Later: Confidential Writings of Andreas Lubitz Following the Germanwings Tragedy
Ten years have passed since the tragic Germanwings Flight 9525 disaster that claimed the lives of all 150 on board. This chilling event, orchestrated by co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, left the world in shock, particularly when it was disclosed that Lubitz had barred the captain from the cockpit.
Lubitz's Hidden Struggles and Deception
- Mental Turmoil: With a well-documented history of depression, Lubitz grappled with insomnia and vision concerns in the final stages before the crash. Remarkably, he managed to camouflage his afflictions from his employer, Lufthansa, and was proclaimed fit to fly by both his airline and health authorities.[1][2][3]
- Blurred Truths: Lubitz's concealment of his on-going mental health issues sparked grave worries about aviation safety, as well as questions regarding the scrutiny of pilots' mental capacity to fly. However, there is no concrete evidence in the publicly available realm about the existence of diary entries detailing his mental state or personal reflections about his predicament.[1][3]
The Bond with Lufthansa
- Employment and Supervision: Germanwings, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, was Lubitz's workplace. Despite knowledge of his past depression, Lufthansa and governing aviation bodies ruled him competent to fly, signifying a flawed system in the evaluation of pilot mental wellness at the time.[1][3]
- Post-Crash Steps: Following the disaster, Lufthansa and its CEO, Carsten Spohr, have been actively involved in honoring the crash victims. Yearly, they invite the victims' families to a commemoration service in France, displaying a dedication to reminding those impacted.[1][2]
Memorial and Tribute
- France Memorial: A 5-meter "Solar Orb" monument was erected in 2017 near the crash site in France, symbolizing the sun and the five continents, with 149 gold-plated aluminum slabs commemorating everyone on board, excluding Lubitz.[2][3]
- Haltern am See Tribute: Germany's Haltern am See, which lost 16 students and two teachers, organized somber memorial events. The students placed white roses, and observances of silence were held to pay tribute to the victims.[1][3]
Post-Germanwings crash, there have been endeavors to refine pilot mental health assessments and support those with ongoing mental health problems, although specifics about Lubitz's diary entries remain undisclosed.
- The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty regarding the implementation of stricter mental health assessments for pilots, following the Germanwings Flight 9525 disaster.
- Lufthansa, despite knowing about Lubitz's past depression, ruled him competent to fly, stating that there were no h2 entries in Lubitz's diary detailing his mental state or personal reflections about his predicament.
- Germanwings, the subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group where Lubitz worked, has entries in their records that show they employed a pilot with a history of depression, raising questions about the thoroughness of their mental health evaluations.
