The Malaysian plane and the pilot who sank into depression and crashed into the Alps: when the captain decides to commit suicide with the passengers

The article reviews historical cases where pilots intentionally crashed passenger planes, following reports of an alleged hijacking attempt on a flyDubai flight. Among the cases: Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, Germanwings Flight 9525, China Eastern Flight MU5735, and EgyptAir Flight 990. The article examines the personal and psychological motives of the pilots that led to the disasters.

The article opens with a reference to reports of a drama on a flyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where a pilot allegedly stabbed his colleague and attempted to hijack the plane. It then reviews four aviation disasters where pilots intentionally crashed planes with their passengers. The most famous case is Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, where a Boeing 777 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew. Professional assessment is that Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah deliberately crashed the plane after practicing the route on a home simulator and disabling communication systems. Another case is Germanwings Flight 9525 in March 2015, where co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, suffering from severe clinical depression, locked the captain out of the cockpit and crashed into the French Alps, killing 150 people. China Eastern Flight MU5735 in March 2022 dove vertically in less than two minutes, killing 132 people. The investigation found that the flight controls were deliberately activated. EgyptAir Flight 990 in October 1999 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after co-pilot Gamal al-Batouti disengaged the autopilot and shut down the engines, while repeating the phrase 'I rely on God.' 217 people were killed.

The Malaysian plane and the pilot who sank into depression and crashed into the Alps: when the captain decides to commit suicide with the passengers