Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz had suicidal tendencies and was in treatment before he obtained his pilot’s licence, German prosecutors have revealed.

Speaking on Monday, Duesseldorf public prosecutor Christoph Kumpa said the 27-year-old had spent a “long period” in therapy, but hadn’t displayed suicidal behvaiour since.

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“Several years ago before obtaining his pilot’s licence the co-pilot was in a long period of psychotherapeutic treatment with noticeable suicidal tendencies,” Mr Kumpa said.

“In the following period, and until recently, further doctor’s visits took place, resulting in sick notes without any suicidal tendencies or aggression against others being recorded.”

Investigations have failed to identify give any hints about what may have motivated Mr Lubitz to crash the Airbus plane and kill all 149 people on board.

Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz had a history of mental illness. Photo: AAP

“We have not found anything in his surrounding [environment] – be it personal or his family or his professional surrounding – that is giving us any hints that enable us to say anything about his motivation,” Mr Kumpa said.

Hero captain identified as young father

The Germanwings captain who tried frantically to re-enter the cockpit as Andreas Lubitz crashed the plane has been named as young father of two Patrick Sondheimer.

According to a report by The Australian, Mr Sondheimer was aged just 34 and has left behind a six-year-old daughter and three-year-old son.

Audio retrieved from the cockpit voice recorder revealed Mr Sondheimer shouted at Mr Lubitz to open the door after he was locked out of the cockpit.

According to a report by The Mirror, the captain had recently switched to short haul flights with Germanwings so he could spend more time with his young family.

Mr Sondheimer was previously a captain on long haul flights with parent company Lufthansa before being allowed to switch in May last year.

Grandmother Marianne Sondheimer told The Mirror her grandson had always dreamed of being a pilot, and said the news was too much to bear.

“My grandson is dead and all because of an idiot who did this to his whole flight and killed so many people,” Ms Sondheimer said.

Carol Friday’s brother Malcolm Coram visits the site with his daughters. Photo: AAP

“I just cannot understand it. How could he do this?”

Family of Australian victims visit site

Relatives of Australian victims Carol and Greig Friday have made an emotional visit to the site in France, and said they now knew the “true meaning of the words ‘grief stricken'”.

Carol Friday’s brother Malcolm Coram visited the site on Monday with his two daughters, and said his entire family, including Carol’s husband Dave, were in complete shock.

“My family suffers this loss terribly,” Mr Coram said.

“My brother-in-law and niece are too devastated to travel here today. Dave’s siblings have rallied around him at home to provide much needed support.

“Carol and Greig’s death has left a hole in our family that will probably never be filled.

“I would like to read something from Greig’s partner: ‘Life has taught us a tough lesson, the lesson being – enjoy every bit of what we have for we don’t know when it is going to be taken away from us’.”