Body Of Germanwings Airbus Co-Pilot Andreas Lubitz Found In Wreckage, Scientists Hope To Find More Clues Into Co-Pilot’s Behavior

Researchers working in teams of two are now charged with the gruesome task of identifying the victim’s bodies in the Germanwings Airbus crash that killed all 150 souls on board. One of the earliest bodies to have been identified is that of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who is alleged to have intentionally crashed airbus A320 into the French Alps.

As reported by the Daily Mail, scientists will be studying Lubitz’s remains to see if they reveal any clues as to what type of treatment the mentally unstable man was seeking prior to the crash. Andreas was said to be suffering from a severe “severe psychosomatic disorder” and had “sick notes” that signed him off of work on the say of the crash. A search of the co-pilot’s home revealed a “mountain of drugs” used to treat mental illness, and Dusseldorf University Hospital has confirmed that Andreas Lubitz had been a patient there over the past few months.

Reports also show that Andreas was suffering from vision problems and had sought treatment weeks before the crash. It is widely believed that the depressed co-pilot downed the plane out fear that he would lose his license over his health concerns. However, Germanwings officials have stated that Andreas had passed all of his medical tests and was deemed 100 percent fit to fly without restriction.

While investigators hope to find additional clues as to why the experienced pilot, with over 600 flight hours under his belt, decided to crash the airbus, researchers are busy collecting the bodies of the passengers in hopes of having all identified within the next few weeks.

Progress is slow with so much wreckage and body parts to sift through. The Guardian reports that between 400 to 600 body parts have been recovered, with some not being any larger than a postage stamp.

There have been at least 78 separate strains of DNA that have been identified, giving researchers more clues as to who is who. Families of the victims have also been asked to supply a sample of their own DNA for a match. They have also supplied any identifying markings, such as tattoos, birthmarks, or dental work, that could help the teams determine the passengers’ identity.

The pope issued a prayer during Palm Sunday Service for the victim’s families.

Each day that passes unveils new insight into the events surrounding the deadly crash. However, not everyone is happy in the manner of which things are being handled. As reported by the Inquisitr, the American U.S. Airline Training Center in Arizona, an American Lufthansa affiliate that Andreas trained under, has been receiving death threats regarding the pilot’s training. The full story can be seen here.

[Image courtesy of The Guardian]