The co-pilot accused of deliberately flying a Germanwings plane into the French Alps apparently sought treatment for vision problems before the crash, according to reports.
Andreas Lubitz, 27, hid a sick note which declared him unfit to work on the day of the disaster before boarding the Barcelona to Dusseldorf flight and flying it into a mountainside on Tuesday.
Officials told the New York Times that he was suffering from problems with his eyes which could have jeopardised his ability to continue flying aircraft.
The Dusseldorf University Hospital said in a statement on Friday that Lubitz had been evaluated at its clinic in February and on 10 March. The hospital has an eye clinic, but it did not comment on why he was being treated citing patient privacy laws.
German police have found medicines for treating psychological conditions during searches at Lubitz's home in Dusseldorf, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
"The 27-year-old has been treated by several neurologists and psychiatrists," the newspaper said.
"This should never happen again"
The father of a British man who died on Germanwings flight 4U9525 has said the co-pilot's motive for crashing the plane is "not relevant".
Philip Bramley, whose 28-year-old son Paul was among 150 people who died in the French Alps tragedy, said his focus was on seeing that "this never happens again".
German media has reported that Mr Lubitz received treatment for a "serious depressive episode" six years ago during his training.
French investigators have said his mental health is a "serious lead" in the inquiry - but not the only one.
An ex-lover of Lubitz revealed to German newspaper Bild that he told her last year: "One day I will do something that will change the whole system, and then all will know my name and remember it."
But Mr Bramley said: "What happened on the morning of 24 March was the act of a person who at the very least was ill. If there was a motive or reason we don't want to hear it, it's not relevant.
"What is relevant is this should never happen again. My son and everyone on that plane should not be forgotten ever."
He added: "I believe the airlines should be more transparent and our finest pilots looked after properly. We put our lives and our children's lives in their hands."
Paul, who had been studying hospitality and hotel management in Switzerland, was flying back to Britain via Germany after a holiday with friends.
He was one of three Britons, 75 Germans and at least 50 Spaniards on board the flight. All 150 people on board the Airbus A320 were killed in the crash.
Hundreds of people attended a memorial service on Saturday morning at Digne-les-Bains, near where searchers are still looking for bodies and evidence.
Safety review
The tragedy, which occurred after the pilot was locked out of the cockpit, has prompted a review of safety procedures by airlines.
Earlier it was reported that the former girlfriend of the co-pilot told how he suffered nightmares and once ominously woke up screaming: "We're going down!"
According to the Bild newspaper, the ex-lover of Andreas Lubitz, identified only as Mary W, said he had told her last year: "One day I will do something that will change the whole system, and then all will know my name and remember it."
She added: "I never knew what he meant, but now it makes sense."
The 26-year-old stewardess said Lubitz had been tormented by nightmares and his behaviour scared her.
"At night, he woke up and screamed: 'We're going down!', because he had nightmares. He knew how to hide from other people what was really going on inside," she told the paper.
Her claims followed revelations by German prosecutors that Lubitz had hidden a sick note declaring him unfit to work on the day of the disaster before boarding the Barcelona to Dusseldorf flight and piloting it into a mountainside in the French Alps.
The prosecutors' office said: "Documents with medical contents were confiscated that point towards an existing illness and corresponding treatment by doctors.
"The fact there are sick notes saying he was unable to work, among other things, that were found torn up, which were recent and even from the day of the crime, support the assumption based on the preliminary examination that the deceased hid his illness from his employer and his professional colleagues."
Germanwings confirmed the sick note was not submitted to the company.
The prosecutors also said the search found no suicide note or confession, "nor was there any evidence of a political or religious background to what happened."
Originally posted at 7.51am
