A French prosecutor has formally initiated a criminal inquiry into the Germanwings plane crash in March that killed all 150 people onboard.
After finding evidence that the co-pilot had suffered from several depression, the Marseille Prosecutor, Brice Robin, says an investigation of whether mistakes were made regarding the co-pilot's mental health is underway.
"This investigation has to clarify the balance between patient confidentiality and the flight's security. It will have to explain how and why a pilot can be in a cockpit with the intention to lead to the loss of the aircraft and its passengers, despite the existence of rules which impose medical standards for flight technical staff."
The prosecutor further indicates that the co-pilot had feared he was going blind. Some doctors the co-pilot consulted suggested he was unsuitable to fly.
"Over the five years before the crash, he consulted 41 different doctors. Do these numerous medical consultations correspond to a real health problem? We have reason to believe that, because he was complaining about eye problems. He said that he saw only 30 or 35 percent of objects in the dark and that he had light flashes."
In the coming weeks, families of the victims can expect to receive the remains of their deceased relatives, and begin holding burials for them.
