Emergencies
Six-year-old missing for second night in a row
Emergency services are searching for the missing six-year-old child in Bremervörde, Lower Saxony. photo
© Sina Schuldt/dpa
A six-year-old child is missing in Bremervörde, Lower Saxony. Hundreds of emergency services and numerous volunteers are looking for the boy who cannot call for help.
About the missing six-year-old boy from Lower Saxony Bremervörde is still missing any trace. Hundreds of emergency services and numerous volunteers have been searching for the child since Monday evening. The search was unsuccessful during the night: “Unfortunately, we currently have no clues as to where the boy could be,” said a police spokesman early in the morning. Additional riot police forces were requested for the morning.
According to police, the boy is autistic and does not respond when spoken to. “This makes the situation and the search for him particularly difficult,” said a police spokesman. “We have to search very closely because we have to assume that he won’t come forward on his own.”
Search with helicopters, dogs, drones and boats
In addition to hundreds of firefighters and police, the German Red Cross, the German Life Saving Society and numerous volunteers took part in the search. A helicopter, search and sniffer dogs, drones and a sonar boat were also used. According to a fire department spokesman on Tuesday evening, the search area should be expanded to the north. A tornado aircraft was scheduled to fly over the area that evening and take aerial photos with a thermal imaging camera.
Subzero temperatures pose a danger
“The whole story is dramatic,” said the police spokesman, referring to temperatures sometimes below zero degrees Celsius at night. Subzero temperatures could be life-threatening for a little boy wearing light clothing. According to police findings, the child disappeared from his home on Monday evening. The boy was last seen wearing a long sweater, dragon-print sweatpants and socks.
“The boy only recently learned how to open locked doors,” the police spokesman reported. “That may be the background.” The father immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation and informed the police. This immediately initiated search measures. Hundreds of emergency services combed the area around the boy’s home. There is a large area of forest nearby.
Residents should check surveillance cameras
The police asked residents to check private camera recordings. A police spokesman said people in the area should check whether the boy could be seen on surveillance cameras. “Although the town of Elm has been searched by emergency services, the missing boy could also be in a shed or similar hiding place,” it said.
Search continues
The motivation of the emergency services and volunteers is high, said the police spokesman. The goal is to search until you find the boy. From the residential area, a small unpaved road leads past a rapeseed field to a wooded area. It was unclear whether the child took this route. According to the fire department spokesman, police dogs indicated something in some places. The police set up a tip line and asked the public for help. She also posted a picture of the boy.