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The co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525, Andreas Lubitz had been in the process of seeking help from multiple doctors prior to the March 24 crash in the French Alps that killed all 150 people onboard, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
The source said that it's becoming more clear that Lubitz was "very afraid" that his medical issues could potentially cost him his pilot license, and therefore sought the assistance of at least five different doctors, perhaps as many as six.
Ever since prosecutors accused Lubitz of deliberately bringing down Flight 9525, which departed Barcelona and was bound for Dusseldorf, Germany last week - the cockpit voice recorder reveals he locked pilot Patrick Sondenheimer out of the cockpit before sending the aircraft into a controlled descent - the investigation has shifted to determining Lubitz's motivation.
Over the past week, it's been revealed that the 27-year-old pilot battled depression for years and that he had kept medical leave notes from his employers.
As the investigation into Lubitz and Germanwings Flight 9525 continue, a broader mental health discussion is just beginning, one including the issue of confidentiality when it comes to a pilot's medical history.
"The confidence our pilots have in our medical doctors is of high importance," said the head of the German Aviation Association Klaus-Peter Siegloch. "I believe if there is a lifting of doctor-patient confidentiality, then possibly pilots will not trust in medical doctors and that will make the situation worse."
On Thursday, German officials announced the development of a new task force assigned to examine these and other issues, including medical procedures for pilots and alternate cockpit door locking mechanisms.
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