Disappeared for a week
Search for six-year-old Arian continues: “Giving up is not an option yet”
On Sunday, the emergency services searched for Arian in a human chain – the boy remains missing
© Moritz Frankenberg / DPA
Despite the largest search operation to date with 1,200 emergency services, six-year-old Arian from Bremervörde remains missing. Now the search area is being expanded.
On Sunday, the largest search operation to date was once again unsuccessful. Despite the deployment of 1,200 forces, no new lead was found, a spokesman said. The aim is to evaluate the results of the large-scale operation during the night so that further possible investigative approaches can be pursued on Monday morning. The six-year-old has been missing since Monday evening. Since then, emergency services have been combing the boy’s hometown and the surrounding area. Bremervörde-Elm is located in the Rotenburg (Wümme) district between Bremerhaven and Hamburg.
On Sunday, hundreds of emergency services combed the area north of the boy’s home with a 1.5-kilometer-long human chain in order to “turn everything around again without any gaps,” said a spokeswoman. The search lasted until nightfall and around 15 square kilometers were searched. In addition, boats, drones and search dogs as well as, for the first time, a cavalry squadron were on the move. “I have never led such a large search effort before,” said Jörg Wesemann, head of operations for the Rotenburg police.
There is still no trace of Arian – the search area has been expanded
The search area, which was previously concentrated on the Elm area, has been expanded. A police spokesman said everything was being done to find the boy. Therefore, the search is now also underway in places that are somewhat further away. The police do not believe there has been a crime. According to the police spokesman, there is no evidence of a criminal case.
Before the weekend, Arian’s parents made an appeal to helpers on the police Facebook page, explaining how their son could be helped. “We believe that Arian has set out on a great adventure,” it said. He could therefore have moved not only in Elm, but also in the surrounding communities and hidden there. They thanked everyone for helping with the search.
Emergency forces change tactics 01:05 minutes
Police continue to search for missing Arian – and change strategy
The emergency services initially tried to attract the autistic boy with children’s songs, balloons and fireworks – without success. Tactics were changed at the weekend. The emergency services should now remain silent during the search. The police spokesman said the tactics were changed because the other approaches had not been successful. Arian left his parents’ house unnoticed on Monday evening. A surveillance camera recorded the boy running into a neighboring forest after his disappearance.