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THE CAPTAIN OF a passenger jet that investigators believe was deliberately crashed into the French Alps, killing all 150 aboard, shouted at the co-pilot to “open the damn door” as he desperately tried to get back into the locked cockpit, a German newspaper reported.
French officials say the plane’s black box voice recorder indicates that Andreas Lubitz, 27, locked the captain out of the cockpit of the Germanwings jet and steered Flight 4U 9525 into a mountainside.
They believe that the more senior pilot, identified by Germany’s Bild newspaper as Patrick S, tried desperately to reopen the door during the Barcelona to Duesseldorf flight’s eight-minute descent after he left to use the toilet.
The mass-circulation’s Sunday edition reported that data from the cockpit recorder showed the captain shouted: “For God’s sake, open the door”, as passengers’ screams could be heard in the background.
It said “loud metallic blows” against the cockpit door could then be heard, before another warning alarm went off and then the pilot is heard to scream to a silent Lubitz in the cockpit “open the damn door”.
Bild said that earlier on in Tuesday’s flight the captain was heard explaining to his colleague that he had not had time to go to the toilet before take-off.
As investigators seek to build up a picture of Lubitz and any possible motives, media reports have emerged that he suffered from eye problems, adding to earlier reports he was severely depressed.
German prosecutors believe Lubitz hid an illness from his airline but have not specified the ailment, and said he had apparently been written off sick on the day the Airbus crashed.
‘Sight problem’
The Sunday edition of Germany’s Bild tabloid and the New York Times, which cited two officials with knowledge of the investigation, said Lubitz had sought treatment for problems with his sight.
It is thought to be a retinal detachment, the German weekly said.
It also reported that Lubitz’s girlfriend with whom he lived in the western city of Duesseldorf was believed to be pregnant.
It gave no sources but said the teacher, who taught maths and English, had told pupils a few weeks ago she was expecting a baby.
Bild’s Saturday edition had published an interview with a flight attendant who it said had had a relationship last year with Lubitz and recalled him saying: “One day I’m going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember.”
If Lubitz did deliberately crash the plane, it was “because he understood that because of his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, of a job as captain and as a long-haul pilot was practically impossible”, the woman told Bild.
German prosecutors revealed Friday that searches of Lubitz’s homes netted “medical documents that suggest an existing illness and appropriate medical treatment”, including “torn-up and current sick leave notes, among them one covering the day of the crash”.
Police have found a number “of medicines for the treatment of psychological illness” during a search at his Duesseldorf home, Welt am Sonntag newspaper said.
It added that the Germanwings co-pilot was suffering from being overstressed and was severely depressive, according to personal notes found.
Search for second black box
French police investigator Jean-Pierre Michel told AFP yesterday that Lubitz’s personality was a “serious lead” in the inquiry but not the only one.
The investigation has so far not turned up a “particular element” in the co-pilot’s life which could explain his alleged action, he said.
Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr has said that Lubitz had suspended his pilot training, which began in 2008, “for a certain period”, before restarting and qualifying for the Airbus A320 in 2013.
The second-in-command had passed all psychological tests required for training, Spohr told reporters.
Germany is to hold a national memorial ceremony on April 17 for the victims of the disaster, half of whom were German, with Spain accounting for at least 50 and the remainder composed of more than a dozen other nationalities.
Meanwhile, helicopters resumed search operations at the crash zone in southeastern France for a sixth day early yesterday, an AFP reporter saw, as efforts to comb the area for the victims’ remains and a second black box continue.
“There’s no reason not to find the second black box,” French investigator Xavier Vialenc told AFP yesterday.
- © AFP 2015.
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Sinn fein are the second biggest party Fine Gael only came 3rd
@Kevin O Brien: and?
@Kevin O Brien: Joy to the world the IRA party are never going to be in power down here no thanks to the Dodgy meetings in Belfast ruling down south
@Alan Power: And Welcome back Jim/Doe …. ye can change yer names but not change how ye sound and what ye say …
@Tim Brennan: The GFA was over a quarter a century ago.. why do you not accept it ?
@Michael Collins: it doesn’t erase their stained history of a campaign of murder, maiming and raping of innocent kids
@Michael Collins: he’s not smart enough to even change the terminology he uses
@Kevin O Brien: and……..
@Alan Power: who’s this the British army? They sure do have a stained history. and they have the neck to call others terrorists
@CP: British army are legitimate, Ra thugs are a proscribed terrorist shower of cowards, who murdered more of their own than any other group
@Michael Collins: Gerry Adams says and repeats they haven’t gone away you know
@Tim Brennan: So thats a no then !! .. no surprises there.. it walks and talks like a west-brit … its a west-brit.
@CP: They weren’t killing their own. Some of the “Disappeared” for no apparent reason. Killing a mother and making no provision for the children.
@Kevin O Brien: SF third on 1st preference votes. 42% for FG and FF – 19% for SF.
@Michael Collins: yawn ….. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
@Alan Power: Ira Ira Ira blah blah blah, do you think FF and FG were born innocent??? Clown!
@Alan Power: no that was a member of the FG party trafficking women and children,,,
@Dave G Doe: so are you,,,
I’m not sure her constituents are going to be overly impressed
@Dermot Blaine: Why, can’t she do what other Independent TDs do for their constituents and work behind closed doors.
@Noelyj: she can’t speak in the Dail except as CC, can’t oppose or propose legislation or amendments. She is in effect leaving her constituents unrepresented in the Dail by an independent voice, which is what they presumably voted for. It’s a pretty full on time consuming job leaving little time for anything else.
@Dermot Blaine: Yes….. they obviously wanted her to hop into the FF/FG bed…. Could end up going the same was as Donnelly.
@Jp Cleary: how? She automatically gets her seat after next election
@Jp Cleary: sorry….way.
@Dermot Blaine: She couldn’t careless she’s on a quarter of a million plus and is FG bred born and reared. The only reason she’s not in that party she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. This is a good way to keep her quiet
@Tim Brennan: yes indeed, she has guaranteed her job as a td for the next 8 years while doing nothing for her constuency. Not sure how that will go down in Wexford.
@Tim Brennan: like the outgoing FF fat waste of space
@Alan Power: What do you suggest? Another SF import from the North like Donnelly ( aka Ó’Donnghaile ).
@Noelyj: one trick ponies
@Vincent Alexander: oh so now we are imports if we come from the north is it?
@sean weir: Yes.
With so many things coming back in style, I can’t wait until morals, respect and intelligence become a trend again.
@Tom Moylan: And you could add Integrity there as well, it is sadly missing .
@Tom Moylan: Don’t hold your breath!
@Tom Moylan: don’t hold your breath I’m afraid
This is another attempt by Martin to Dominate power , he is instructing his PP to vote for a particular person. Now some years ago it was decided that the appointment of Ceann Comhairle would be by SECRET BALLOT. , free from the Party Whip. Now we have Martin trying to bypass this and tell party members who to vote for. I just hope that FF members with a bit of Gumption and Guts are capable of standing on there own two feet and deciding for themselves . But,— I’m fairly sure that there are several hoping to slidder into Ministerial jobs by impressing the BOSS. For the good of the Country will ye stand up and be counted for once .
Oh well … another racist in the dail
Well it’s great to see we have moved on from gombeen politics isn’t it. You know we are such gullible and nieve people to give these tramps the time of day. It’s all so cosy. Put in an independent. They will all then vote for us. We are some idiots of a nation.
At least it’s not a shinner
I welcome this, wholeheartedly, a fantastic TD and soon to be a fantastic CC too
@Alan Power: Welcome back Jim/Doe …. ye can change yer names but not change how ye sound and what ye say …
@Michael Collins: don’t let it get in on you, take a diazapam and you’ll be grand
@Alan Power: Dare ya to say something vile and nasty!! I know your dying too !! You can’t help yourself, is your true nature!!
Imagine growing up wanting to be a Troll ? Is it all you dreamed it would be ? Oh and btw LOL.
@Alan Power: Oh never mind, i see you already did. .. strike 1 ya tool.. hopefully when I back from a few pints, you already be banned again.. LOL
@Michael Collins: relax
@Michael Collins: go away out of that, you’re afraid to leave the house lol
225,000e x 5 , then re elected.
Anyone could do that job, same as keeping order at a children’s party!
You’d need an interpreter if O’Snodaigh got the gig !! Thick Dublin accent!!
A sure she is grand girl and will make good house speaker a change from the auld fuddy dudies we are used to hearing.
@Ned: she ain’t no grand girl, fine gael to the bone. She’ll fit in well, just feathering her own nest and taking back handers. Not a woman to be trusted. Very snakey phucker.
100.000 murdered people were found just in one mass grave in Syria. Nobody from FF/FG/SF says anything about genocide nor running to the court. Very soon everyone will witness the real genocide of Kurds. That is how exactly palestinian terrorists viciously supported around because they absolutely cannot do anything else in life.
@Sergej Simonov: anti semites only object when jews are defending themselves, Iran and Russia can kill as many as they like, FF FG trying to out Shinner the shinners, that’s what you get when you have a school drop out who’s failed upwards running the country, in years to come he’ll only be remembered for his ridiculous stern look when trying to appear serious, absolute embarrassment
And the lesson for today is, don’t waste your vote on an independent, instead waste it on one of the other parasites
A bit like yourself maybe it takes one to know one?
We need more bleedin ink cartridges jem wat.Dem is all gone
An acceptable ‘porcine’ has been decided on, following furious jostling, at the ‘trough’ of endless State delights.
Scandalous salary
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