One in 20 airline pilots feels ‘suicidal’ with 12 per cent plagued by depression, shock poll reveals
Disturbing findings come 18 months after a Germanwings co-pilot with mental health problems deliberately crashed a plane
ALMOST one in 20 airline pilots feels “suicidal”, a shock poll shows.
Just over four per cent admitted contemplating killing themselves.
And 12 per cent are plagued by depression.
The disturbing findings come 18 months after a Germanwings co-pilot with mental health problems deliberately crashed a plane into the French Alps, killing 150.
Andreas Lubitz locked the captain out of the cockpit before plunging the aircraft into the mountains.
He had been treated for depression and contacted dozens of doctors in the weeks before the tragedy in March last year.
Researchers behind the latest study said they fear there is a “veil of secrecy” behind mental health issues in the cockpit.
A team from Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA, quizzed 1,800 pilots on mental health, guaranteeing them anonymity.
Just over 12 per cent met the criteria for depression.
This compares with a rate of less than three per cent for the UK population.
More than four per cent admitted they had suicidal thoughts in the previous two weeks.
Male pilots were more suicidal but females ones more likely to be depressed, according to results in the journal Environmental Health.
Ten of the men admitted thinking every day that they would be better off dead.
RELATED STORIES
Researcher Professor Joseph Allen said: “We found many pilots currently flying are managing depressive symptoms.
“It may be they are not seeking treatment due to the fear of negative career impacts.
“There is a veil of secrecy around mental health issues in the cockpit.”
The international study included 65 pilots from the UK.
The British Airline Pilots Association said pilots needed to be able to openly discuss their mental health issues.
Head of Flight Safety Dr Rob Hunter said: “The lessons we need to learn from Germanwings is to remove the stigma attached to mental health.
“No-one should have any fear of reporting it.
“Pilots need to feel able to come forward without fear.”