Lufthansa Now Says It Knew of Co-Pilot Andreas Lubitz's History of Depression - New York Times

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DÜSSELDORF, Germany — The co-pilot at the controls of the German jetliner that crashed last week had informed Lufthansa in 2009 about his depressive episodes, the company said Tuesday.

In a statement, Lufthansa said the co-pilot had conveyed the information when he sought to rejoin the airline’s flight school after a monthslong pause in his studies.

Lufthansa said that it had shared with prosecutors email correspondence between the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, and the flight training school, which included medical records about a “deep depressive episode.” Lufthansa is the parent company of Germanwings, the operator of the Airbus 320 on which Mr. Lubitz was co-pilot.

French prosecutors said that Mr. Lubitz appeared to have intentionally crashed the jet into the French Alps on March 24, killing all 150 people aboard. Prosecutors in Germany said Monday that he had been treated for suicidal tendencies.

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Since the news emerged that Mr. Lubitz, 27, had suffered serious mental health problems, the questions about what officials at Lufthansa, the owner of the flight school, knew and when they knew it have grown louder.

Lufthansa said in the statement that it had made the announcement “in the interest of a swift and thorough clarification.”

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