The final moments of the ill-fated Germanwings flight that was deliberately crashed by the pilot Andreas Lubitz make for chilling reading. In an exclusive, Paris Match, has published the horrific sequence of events, taken from the Cockpit Voice Recorder. Here is the account of one of the investigators:
Blackbox Recording: 10 am to 10:41 am
The airplane takes off at 10 am. Within 10 minutes the captain is heard telling co-pilot Lubitz that he had not had the time to use the bathroom. Lubitz tells him that he can go whenever he likes.
By 10.27, the plane has reached a cruising altitude of 38000 feet. Lubitz is heard repeatedly telling the caption to go use the washroom.
At around 10:28 am, the captain is heard removing his seatbelt and opening the cockpit door. He tells Lubitz, “ You are in control now”, to which Lubitz eerily responds: “ I hope so.”
Alone now, Lubitz is heard locking the door with the “Lock” button––it is no longer possible to open the door from outside. He is also consequently heard reprogramming the automatic pilot to accelerate the descent “pushing the plane from 38,000 feet to 100 feet” in just a few minutes.
The air traffic controllers on the ground, meanwhile, have detected the problem and try desperately to contact the airplane by radio, but Lubitz does not respond.
In a bit, the captain’s voice is heard from outside asking him to open the cockpit door. “It’s me!” yells the frantic captain. Lubitz can also see him in the camera connected to the cockpit––but he doesn’t open the door. Attempts are made by the captain to open the door with either an oxygen tank or a fire extinguisher––failing which he cries out in desperation: “For the love of God, open the door!” But Lubitz doesn’t respond.
At around 10:34 am, the first alarm goes off, both visual and audible. The screams of the passengers can now be heard. The captain is heard shouting for the crowbar hidden in the back of the plane. He tries to bend the door with it but fails again.
Further attempts at convincing Lubitz ensue:“ Open the f...door!’ the captain yells, but his plea falls on deaf ears.
In fact, even in the midst of shrieks and screams, Lubitz can be heard breathing normally through an oxygen mask that he has put on.
At around 10:40 am, the airbus hits the Alps with its right wing.
Video of Final Moments
Paris Match and another European publication Bild have unearthed a mobile phone video recording which they claim belonged to one of the passengers killed in the crash. Both publications have described it as “undisputably authentic”.
Bild in fact made the eerie revelation that passengers on the plane had actually known what was happening even before the crash took place––indicated by screams of “My God” that could be heard over and over again in several languages. The visuals though are wobbly and appear chaotic.
There is also banging heard on the video––at least thrice, reports Bild.
With Lubitz refusing to react, the captain is heard asking for a crowbar hidden in the back of the plane. He is heard yelling, “ Open the f...door!”, even as the plane kept losing altitude.
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