Shocking and
senseless! A few general facts are necessary, however, to stop the various
notions about why the unfortunate, and relatively inexperienced pilot, Andreas
Lubitz committed such a horrendous and
apparently entirely selfish, mass murder/suicide – as is so far alleged to be
the theory - before the actual facts (and suppostions) are presented in a sober
and reasoned manner.
First up, no test (or tests) is (are)
available which will confirm any “mental illness” (Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s
diseases excepted). Mental issues are not (repeat not) similar to any physical
illness such as the much quoted phrase “diabetes or heart disease”. Any person
presenting with a mental issue is “diagnosed” by observed behaviour and by the presenting
person’s self-reported mental state – and then subjectively judged, by a Mental
Health professional, using an “approved” check list of “depression indicators”.
The operative word is “presenting”.
Anyone with any intelligence and who has been psychologically tested many times
before will “know the ropes” and be able to circumvent questions which may be “compromising”
or which may impact unfavourably on that person’s future.
It was therefore not possible for any
mental health professional to have determined, with any degree of absolute
certainty, that Lubitz was “mentally ill”- whether he was depressed or a closet
sociopath or had psychopathic tendencies. Possibly he was just someone who was
trying to fulfil a dream and was found wanting – something he may have had
difficulty in accepting.
We will never know.
My second point is that, as I
understand it, anyone working for an airline must attend that particular
airline’s approved doctor or doctors. It is that doctor who has the responsibility
to inform the airline of any misgivings he (or she) may have about a particular
employee’s health – mental or physical. I am sure that an airline with
Lufthansa’s standing would have had such a medical regime in place.
It would appear, therefore, that
either the doctor involved did not pass on the medical details (regarding prescriptions
or any other concerns) to Lufthansa. Or, and I would find this very difficult
to comprehend or believe, Lufthansa ignored the doctor’s concerns and/or advice
regarding Lubitz.
Either way – if there is blame to be
apportioned (and believe me there will be) it should lie somewhere in the orbit
of the medical doctor and/or the pilot administration of Lufthansa.
Lubitz’s life, family, friends and
career will be eviscerated by the investigators and the media trying to find
any possible reason or reasons for such a horrendous and callous act. This is
to be expected because the airline industry survives on trust and its fiercely
protected safety record. Anything which impacts on this will be examined as
never before.
And so it
should be.
However research into suicide is
notoriously difficult. It is always referring to an historic act – something
that has already happened. Police, coronial, autopsy, psychiatric and
psychological and counselling reports are analysed and carefully combed to try
and establish some reason or motive for the suicide. This is fraught as it is
impossible to know what was actually going through the person’s mind at the
precise moment in time when they took their own life and (particularly, as in
this case) when this includes the lives of so many other innocent people. At some
moment – sometime earlier that fateful day - Lubitz made a choice.
Why?
We will never know.
