Devendra Kumar
German police have advised travelers not to use Hamburg airport after an armed man, reportedly holding his four-year-old daughter hostage, broke through a gate with his vehicle on Saturday night and fired a weapon twice into the air. The airport, located in the northern part of the city, has been closed to passengers and flights since then. According to German news agency dpa, the man’s wife had previously contacted the authorities about a child abduction, and police suspect that the man may have taken his daughter from her mother by force in a possible custody battle.
Police said the man, 35 years old, has his daughter inside the car, and a psychologist has been negotiating with him for hours to resolve the situation peacefully. Authorities have evacuated all passengers from the airport, and there is no indication that other people could be harmed. The police have stated that they assume the man is in possession of a live firearm and possibly also explosive devices of an unknown type, but emphasized that their top priority is to protect the child.
The child’s mother arrived at the airport on Sunday and is receiving psychological support, while a pediatrician has also arrived to look after the girl once the hostage-taking is over. Hundreds of people whose flights could not depart on Saturday night due to the situation have been put up at nearby hotels. Arriving planes were either re-routed to other German airports or cancelled.
The situation is developing slowly, with no indication of when it may be resolved. The police have stressed that they are working to protect the child and are doing everything possible to resolve the situation peacefully.