Germanwings Co-Pilot Andreas Lubitz Hid Illness From Employer, Prosecutors Say

Further investigation into the downing of Germanwings Flight 4U 9525 earlier this week suggests the plane's co-pilot suffered from a serious illness that he reportedly hid from his employer ahead of the Tuesday crash.

The revelation came after investigators searched the home of 27-year-old Andreas Lubitz, who is suspected of locking himself in the cockpit of the Germanwings flight and intentionally flying it into a mountainside in the remote French Alps on Tuesday morning, killing all 150 passengers and crew aboard the flight.

According to the AFP, prosecutors revealed Friday that medical records of an illness, as well as torn-up sick leave notes, were found in Lubitz's Dusseldorf home during a recent search.

Investigators told the media outlet they discovered "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." 

One of the notes reportedly called on Lubitz to take a sick leave from his work on the day of the crash. The co-pilot reportedly hid his medical issues from his employers.

"Torn-up current medical certificates — also pertaining to the day of the act — were found, which after preliminary examination, support the assumption that the deceased hid his illness from his employer and his professional circles," a statement by the Dusseldorf prosecutor's office read.

The German tabloid Bild also reported on Friday that Lubitz allegedly suffered from bouts of depression, with some so bad that at one point he had to halt his training at a U.S. flight school due to a "serious depressive episode."