Report: EU cited Germany for lax airline oversight years before Germanwings crash


European Union officials reportedly warned Germany about long-standing problems in its air-safety oversight office years ago, long before co-pilot Andreas Lubitz allegedly crashed Germanwings Flight 9525 into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board.
EU officials told The Wall Street Journal they warned Berlin that chronic understaffing could affect the regulatory agency's ability to carry out medical checks on crew members, and advised Germany to remedy the issues.
The EU criticism dates back nearly four years, although it is unclear as to whether the aviation violations were actually factors in the crash. Officials are reviewing Germany's "corrective action plan to address the findings," according to an EU spokesman.
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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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