Free Republic

The captain of the Germanwings plane that crashed into the French alps with 150 people on board earlier this week reportedly tried to break into the cockpit with an axe once he realized he was locked out, according to German tabloid Bild. The Telegraph cites Bild's reporting based on unnamed security sources, noting that the information has not been officially confirmed but that a spokesman for Germanwings confirmed to AFP that an axe was on board the plane. Officials have confirmed that the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the crash site shows that the captain tried to break down the...

Lubitz started his training with the organization in 2008 and at one point worked as a flight attendant, the airline's Chief Executive Carsten Spohr confirmed Thursday. While Lubitz had interrupted his training at some point for several months — the airline would not specify why — Spohr said that was not unusual and that the young German was re-evaluated before his training resumed. He passed all his tests.

PARIS — As officials struggled Wednesday to explain why a jet with 150 people on board crashed in relatively clear skies, an investigator said evidence from a cockpit voice recorder indicated one pilot left the cockpit before the plane’s descent and was unable to get back in.