Alps pilot researched suicide methods days before crash

German prosecutors say the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 appears to have researched suicide methods and cockpit door security in the days before the plane crashed last week.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Apr 2015, 16:48 BST
German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt addresses the media in BerlinGerman transport minister Alexander Dobrindt addresses the media in Berlin
German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt addresses the media in Berlin

Dusseldorf prosecutors said that investigators found a tablet computer at Andreas Lubitz’s apartment. They said they were able to reconstruct searches from March 16 to March 23.

Investigators believe the 27-year-old Lubitz locked his captain out of the A320’s cockpit on March 24 and deliberately crashed the plane. All 150 on board died.

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Prosecutors’ spokesman Ralf Herrenbrueck said that search terms included medical treatment and suicide methods.

On at least one day, the co-pilot looked at search terms involving cockpit doors and their security methods.

Meanwhile French prosecutors said the second black box recorder from the Germanwings jet has been found.

The second black box is the data recorder and contains readings for nearly every instrument.

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An official in Marseille Prosecutor Brice Robin’s office says he will give a news conference later today about the discovery.

Investigators have found mobile phones amid the debris of the crash, but the phones have not yet produced any clues about what happened.

Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Marc Menichini said today that the phones that have been found had not yet been thoroughly examined.

Investigators believe co-pilot Andreas Lubitz intentionally crashed the Germanwings A320 into a mountainside, based on recordings from the cockpit voice recorder.

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Special mountain troops are continuing to search the area for personal belongings and the second black box flight recorder.

Mountain troops, police and gendarme officer listen during a briefing before heading to the crash siteMountain troops, police and gendarme officer listen during a briefing before heading to the crash site
Mountain troops, police and gendarme officer listen during a briefing before heading to the crash site

French magazine Paris-Match and German tabloid Bild reported this week that they had seen a mobile phone video from the final moments of the flight.

Authorities have said investigators have no such video.