(photo credit: Paul Nelhams)
From The New York Times:
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.
...
“The guy outside is knocking lightly on the door and there is no answer,” the investigator said. “And then he hits the door stronger and no answer. There is never an answer.”
He said, “You can hear he is trying to smash the door down.”
...
“We don’t know yet the reason why one of the guys went out,” said the official, who requested anonymity because the investigation is continuing. “But what is sure is that at the very end of the flight, the other pilot is alone and does not open the door.”
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Rachel is reporting this with the caveat that MSNBC has not yet independently confirmed the story. CNN brought a post-9/11 cockpit door into the studio to show how near impossible it would be to break the door down.
It is possible that the co-pilot in the cockpit was incapacitated for an as yet unknown reason. But one can't help but worry that he crashed the plane on purpose. It would be eerily similar to what is thought may have happened in the disappearance of the Malaysia Air flight several months ago - a pilot turned homicidal/suicidal. I hope that's not the case.
Update 1:
7:48am EDT - From the BBC:
Co-pilot of Germanwings flight that crashed in Alps took sole control of plane and started descent, officials say.
http://www.bbc.com/...
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