German newspaper Bild has released a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder from doomed Germanwings Flight 4U9525, which adds further support to the theory that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz crashed the flight deliberately.
Per reports in Fairfax, Lubitz can be heard encouraging captain Patrick Sondheimer to go to the bathroom; when Sondheimer eventually did so, leaving Lubitz in control, he was subsequently unable to reenter the flight deck.
Earlier, when the plane had reached cruising altitude, Sondheimer instructed Lubitz to prepare for landing in Dusseldorf, to which he responded using noncommittal phrases like “hopefully” and “we’ll see.”
After leaving the cabin, recordings indicate that the captain can be heard making two attempts to re-enter. Shortly after 10.30am, a loud bang can be heard, followed by a shout of “for God’s sake, open the door.”
At 10.35, “loud, metallic bangs” are heard. Shortly after, an automated warning plays, instructing the pilot to “pull up”, as the captain continues shouting to “open the damn door.”
At 10.40, the wing of the plane hit the mountain. Per Bild’s report, passengers on the flight can be heard screaming in panic in the lead-up to the crash, suggesting they were aware of that their flight was going down.
Two Australians, 68-year-old Carol Friday and her 29-year-old son Grieg Friday, were among the 150 killed.
French prosecutors are currently investigating Andreas Lubitz, who reportedly concealed a medial certificate saying he was “unfit to work” on the day of the crash.
Lubitz had recently sought treatment for vision problems, which may have put his ability to continue working as a pilot in jeopardy. It is also believed that he failed to disclose aspects of his psychological condition to his employer.
Photo: Getty Images News
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