Email Investigation Reveals Lubitz Was Suffering From Insomnia, Losing Eyesight

An investigation has revealed that Andreas Lubitz, the Germanwings co-pilot who intentionally crashed an Airbus A320 in the French Alps with 150 passengers on board, told one of his doctors in an email that he was losing his sight and suffering from insomnia.

The Russian news site Sputnik relays a report from the German tabloid Bild that indicates Lubitz told at least one of the 41 doctors he visited that he was afraid he was losing his vision. Sputnik reports that, according to Bild, an email obtained by investigators showed that Lubitz had doubled his dosage of Mirtazapine, a potent anti-depressant, which led to loss of sleep and deteriorating eyesight.  "Because I am afraid of continuing to go blind and fixated on my eyes, my thoughts revolve constantly around this and the stress is increasing, which is why I cannot sleep on a regular basis," Lubitz wrote the March 10, 2015 email. "I need, despite the difficult situation, to achieve longer sleep and reduce stress. It will be difficult, because vision is seriously harmed (distorted perception of brightness and contrast)," he wrote.

Deutsche Welle reports that, according to Bild, Lubitz' diary chronicled the pilot's depressive episodes in which he suggested "jumping off a cliff" as a way out. In 2008, he reportedly wrote "Committing myself to psychiatric treatment, severe depression, dream of becoming a pilot as good as finished."

Data recorders recovered from the March 24, 2015 crash suggest that Lubitz deliberately caused the plane to fly into the ground after locking the pilot out of the cockpit.

(Image from file)

FMI: Sputnik, Deutsche Welle