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[Theonik]

It seems weird to me that we didnt see anything pop up on social media from the passengers or hear anything about phone calls to family members. It seems that if one of the pilots was trying to knock down the door for several minutes it would have been very obvious to the passengers that something was very wrong and given them time to post something online or reach out to a family member.

They are meant to have their phones switched off.

 

[CSJ]

It seems weird to me that we didnt see anything pop up on social media from the passengers or hear anything about phone calls to family members. It seems that if one of the pilots was trying to knock down the door for several minutes it would have been very obvious to the passengers that something was very wrong and given them time to post something online or reach out to a family member.

You're assuming they had the technology to do so, not all aircraft do.

 

[pringles]

I'd sincerely hoped that the passengers would've been unconscious during the descent, but this latest news just paints such a horrific scene. Shaking thinking about it. I can't imagine what the families and friends of those who lost their lives must be going through.

Agreed, the scenario that now seems possible or even likely is the absolute worst imaginable for everyone on that plane. I hope they can find out some info that paints a different picture, but simply knowing at least 1 person was conscious and aware of what was happening for 8 minutes outside that cockpit, unable to get in.. it's chilling to think about.

 

[luso]

From conference:

Marseille Prosecutor Brice Robin says pilot asked co-pilot to take control and sound of door closing

"The co-pilot at that moment, alone, he uses the flight monitoring system which starts the descent of the aircraft"

Robin: no answer on interphone or by voice through door. Human breathing can be heard until the impact.

Terrain warning triggered, captain knocking heavily on door, no distress call at all

Terrible.

The names are already known:
Pilot Patrick Sonderheimer
Co-Pilot Identified as Andreas Lubitz

 

[chadskin]

German prosecutors confirm only 1 Germanwings pilot was in cockpit at crash, but don't know which it was - @Reuters

http://www.breakingnews.com/item/2015/03/26/german-prosecutors-confirm-only-1-germanwings-pilo/

 

[Terra]

24 years is not remarkably old for a commercial airliner.

What? Isn't commercial planes retired when 25-30 years old?

 

[ultratruman]

so much conflicting info

What? Isn't commercial planes retired when 25-30 years old?

It's old, but not dangerously so. Well within restrictions.

 

[gofreak]

It's been brought up in here somewhere but I believe this model aircraft has a stick set to the side of the pilot in such a way that it wouldn't be possible for that to happen.

Thanks.

 

[itsgreen]

What? Isn't commercial planes retired when 25-30 years old?

Yeah, so 24 isn't exceptionally old...

 

[aeroslash]

The French authorities are doing a press conference right now. They've said the copilot was alone on the cockpit and alive when the crash occured.

SHIT.

 

[cripterion]

So seems the co-pilot willingly crashed the plane, goddamn..
Didn't answer to air control, didn't let the main pilot back in, didn't respond to the plane alerts...

 

[Theonik]

What? Isn't commercial planes retired when 25-30 years old?

I don't think so. Usually the planes are leased or sold to other companies. Planes are very very expensive.

 

[erale]

So seems the co-pilot willingly crashed the plane, goddamn..

I wonder how they can be sure he did? All they have are the voice recordings.

 

[protomouse]

Controlled descent
No radio response
Co-pilot (supposedly breathing) refusing to open the cockpit door
No terrorist group claiming action

Well, fuck. I hope there's some alternate explanation for what the co-pilot was up to.

 

[maquiladora]

#Germanwings co-pilot accelerated the plane's descent while alone in the cockpit, which can only be done deliberately, prosecutor says

Thats that then.

 

[CoolS]

So Spiegel online reports that the french investigation comes to the conclusion that the co pilot was conciously making the plane descend.

Fuck, I have to stop thinking about this too much.

 

[ultratruman]

Murder suicide then.

Sad.

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

Thats that then.

That is horrible.
What could have prompted the pilot to do this? Temporary psychosis?

 

[luso]

Robin: I believe that the victims only realised at the very last minute what was happening. You only hear screams at the very end.

...

 

[GhostTrick]

The French authorities are doing a press conference right now. They've said the copilot was alone on the cockpit and alive when the crash occured.

SHIT.

Yep, watching it right now. The only thing that could be heard was someone breathing. A normal breath though. The cockpit was locked manually, and someone tried to open the door.

Also, the prosecutor is claiming that the action to drop the plane was voluntary. On the question about potential terrorist... according to the prosecutor, they don't have such information.

I wonder how they can be sure he did? All they have are the voice recordings.

Before the press conference, the prosecutor specifically stated that it was for now, their own interpretation.

 

[Pikma]

This is indeed terrorism, even if it isn't linked to any criminal organization. So damn horrible.

 

[le-seb]

The French authorities are doing a press conference right now. They've said the copilot was alone on the cockpit and alive when the crash occured.

SHIT.

Yup, it's official.

Once the pilot left the cockpit, the copilot changed the flight management system to descend and didn't open the door when the pilot went back.
He didn't say a word until the crash, but could be heard breathing normally.

 

[cripterion]

I wonder how they can be sure he did? All they have are the voice recordings.

Why wouldn't he let the main pilot back in? They can hear him breathing throughout the last minutes of the plane. Why would he bring the plane down?

 

[strafer]

what the fuck am i reading..this is horrible.

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Fuck, I honestly thought it was an accident but it's looking less likely now.

 

[CTLance]

Well, fuck. I hope there's some alternate explanation for what the co-pilot was up to.

Doesn't seem likely, but I'm with you on that. Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit.

 

[FTF]

These new updates and info are just so sad. Mass murder suicide, such a damn tragedy.

 

[Lunch_Box_]

Horrifying. This is the worst possible cause for the crash.

 

[Dryk]

This is indeed terrorism, even if it isn't linked to any criminal organization. So damn horrible.

Depends on their motivation, but possibly.

 

[keuja]

The MH370 case and now this, are more terrifying than any technical failures. Fuck.

 

[erale]

Why wouldn't he let the main pilot back in? They can hear him breathing throughout the last minutes of the plane. Why would he bring the plane down?

Couldn't he be "just" unconscious? Just because he was alive (breathing) doesn't mean he did it on purpose.

 

[CTLance]

Robin: I believe that the victims only realised at the very last minute what was happening. You only hear screams at the very end.

...

Oh fuck me. Please no. This is just too cruel.

 

[Texar]

The names are already known:
Pilot Patrick Sonderheimer
Co-Pilot Identified as Andreas Lubitz

Is that confirmed? they are asking for the his ethnic background at the press conference

 

[Az]

Damn, terrifying.

 

[EricTheCleric]

Is there no continuous mental check up on pilots?
Should be monthly as well as an obligation for co-workers to report on suspicion of trouble

 

[Terra]

So sad to hear those latest updates, yeah. My god...

 

[DrROBschiz]

Terrible..... just terrible

And here I was hoping it was a tragic accident

I mean... deliberate action was always on the table but just the way it went down....

 

[cripterion]

And they also said just before the main pilot left the cockpit the co-pilot and he were talking just normally.

 

[Shuggananas]

Is that confirmed? they are asking for the his ethnic background at the press conference

It would be so convenient for some people if he was muslim wouldn't it ?
Fuck this world.

Also, fuck this copilot, we're almost sure this was a deliberate suicide by plane crash then.

 

[ultratruman]

Couldn't he be "just" unconscious? Just because he was alive (breathing) doesn't mean he did it on purpose.

the point is he was deliberately accelerating the plane towards the ground.

 

[Stairouais]

"Les cris [des passagers] interviennent au tout dernier moment sur la bande" (Procureur)

"You can hear the passengers screaming at the end of the tape"

This is fucking terrifying.

 

[Cloudy]

This makes it even more tragic for the families of the victims. The airline is so screwed

 

[onesvenus]

Wait, someone unconscious still breathes... Why are they ruling out this option? If the only info is from the voice recording how can they be sure he was indeed doing it consciously?
And what about the other pilot? If you knew what was happening wouldn't you scream out the other pilot name's if he doesn't open the door??

 

[Milchmonster]

Oh fuck me. Please no. This is just too cruel.

As terrible as this sounds but that's the only good news today. It's still fucking horrible to think about what the people on the plane thought but at least it wasn't for 8 fucking minutes.

Horrible thing all around...

 

[Megasoum]

"You can hear the passengers screaming till the end of the tape"

This is fucking terrifying.

No that's not what it says... It says "You can only hear the passengers screaming at the end of the tape"

 

[Shuggananas]

"You can hear the passengers screaming till the end of the tape"

This is fucking terrifying.

No, it is "at the very end of the tape", not till the end.

 

[chadskin]

FRANKFURT—The co-pilot of the Germanwings flight that crashed in the French Alps on Tuesday was Andreas Lubitz, 28, of Montabaur, according to a flight club where he was a member.

“Andreas became a member of the club as a youth to fulfill his dream of flying,” the LSC club said in a death notice on its website.

“He fulfilled his dream, the dream he now paid for so dearly with his life,” the club said. It said he was the co-pilot of the flight. A member of the flight club identified him to The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/germanwings-co-pilot-named-as-andreas-lubitz-1427370009

 

[maquiladora]

WSJ : The co-pilot of the Germanwings flight that crashed in the French Alps on Tuesday was Andreas Lubitz, 28, of Montabaur, according to a flight club where he was a member.

 

[erale]

the point is he was deliberately accelerating the plane towards the ground.

Yeah we know the plane went down. As does everything... But how exactly? If he was unconscious, couldn't he have fallen on that joystick like thing they have? Wouldn't that start the acceleration towards the ground, too?

 

[Stairouais]

No, it is "at the very end of the tape", not till the end.

Yup, sorry. Corrected.

Still. It's terrifying.