Torn-Up Doctor's Notice Found In Lubitz's Apartment

During a search of the home of Andreas Lubitz Thursday, German prosecutors say they found  found a torn-up note from a doctor indicating he should go on medical leave for an unspecified reason.

Lubitz has been accused of flying a Germanwings Airbus A320 into the ground in the French Alps Tuesday, fatally injuring himself and 149 other people on board.

USA Today reports that Dusseldorf prosecutors said in a statement that police had found medical documents "indicating an existing illness and corresponding medical treatment. A torn-up sick note, also valid for the day of the incident," was also found according to the statement.

CNN reports that the letter found in Lubitz's apartment indicted that he had been "declared by a medical doctor to be unfit for work." The doctor had issued medical leave notes that included the day of the incident.

In a statement released Friday, Germanwings said it had not received any request for sick leave from Lubitz. The nature of the illness was not disclosed.

Some of the people who knew Andreas Lubitz, the Germanwings co-pilot who apparently intentionally flew an Airbus A320 with 149 other people on board into the ground in the French Alps Tuesday, say he did not fit the suicidal profile suggested by French authorities.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Lubitz' employer and other say was known for his interest in competitive running and flying gliders. 

Carsten Spohr, CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said the Lubitz had passed all of the required flight training and psychological screening with no record of problems. He did take a six-month break from his flight training in 2009, but Lufthansa officials say they do now know why he paused his training. He was retested for flight fitness when he returned, and passed, the airline said.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that there was no indication that Lubitz had any connection with terrorist organizations, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Others, including a neighbor who did not want to be identified but who said he had known Lubitz and a younger brother since they were children, said that intentionally crashing an airliner full of people "does not fit in with the picture I have of him."

Similar descriptions were given by others who knew him from his flying club.

(Image of Cockpit Voice Recorder recovered from the accident scene)

FMI: www.duesseldorf.de/de/eng/index.shtml