The captain of the Germanwings plane reportedly tried to break into the cockpit with an axe
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 reinforced cockpit door after the co-pilot refused to open it.
French officials on Thursday blamed the plane's co-pilot, 27-year-old Andreas Lubitz, for the crash that killed everyone on board. Authorities said it was his "intention to destroy this plane."
On the cockpit voice recording recovered from the crash site, Lubitz could be heard breathing from when the captain left the cockpit until the plane crashed, but he did not say a word. The captain was banging on the cockpit door and trying to break it down, but Lubitz would not open the door.
French authorities contend that Lubitz input the command to start the plane's descent after the captain left the cockpit.
Bild also reported on Friday that Lubitz spent a year and a half in psychiatric treatment for a "major depressive episode." He also reportedly had a "serious relationship crisis" with his girlfriend before the crash.
A spokeswoman for Lufthansa, which owns Germanwings, said on Friday the airline would not comment on the state of health of the pilot.