A hostage situation that unfolded at Hamburg Airport in Germany has come to an end after 18 hours, local police have confirmed. The incident involved a 35-year-old man who broke through a security barrier and entered the airport tarmac on Saturday evening, with his four-year-old daughter in the car. The perpetrator eventually surrendered to the authorities “without resistance” and has been taken into custody. Police have assured the public that the child appears to be unharmed.
As a result of the unfolding hostage situation, several flights in and out of Hamburg Airport were disrupted. Although operations have since resumed, significant delays are expected to persist. The incident commenced at approximately 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT) when the suspect drove his car onto the airport’s apron, an area designated for parking aircraft.
According to the police, the man fired his weapon twice into the air and tossed burning bottles from his vehicle. It remains unclear whether the man had any explosives in his possession. Authorities later clarified that he had parked his car beneath a Turkish Airlines plane, where a commercial flight loaded with passengers was readying for take off. Swift evacuation measures were implemented, ensuring the safety of all passengers.
Reports suggest that the suspect’s actions were motivated by dissatisfaction with custody arrangements involving his ex-wife. Hamburg police spokeswoman Sandra Levgruen revealed that the man expressed discontent with certain decisions made by the authorities and had intentions of traveling to Türkiye with his daughter. Levgruen described the suspect as being in an “exceptional psychological situation” due to ongoing custody disputes.
This incident is not the first time the man, who holds Turkish citizenship, has been accused of kidnapping his daughter. Last year, he came under investigation after traveling with the child to Türkiye without permission. Eventually, the mother was able to bring the child back to Germany.
Hundreds of airport passengers who were waiting for their flights had to be accommodated in hotels while the situation unfolded. Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher expressed his sympathies, writing on X, “I wish the mother, the child, and her family a lot of strength to cope with this terrible experience.”
Hamburg Airport, in their efforts to resume regular operations swiftly, has stated that a total of 286 flights with approximately 34,500 passengers were scheduled for Sunday. The airport, together with the authorities, is working diligently to minimize further disruptions and inconveniences caused by the incident.
As the airport gradually returns to normal operations, the focus will shift towards addressing the delays and inconveniences experienced by travellers during this time. Hamburg Airport authorities will be working tirelessly to minimize any further disruptions and ensure the safe and efficient travel of passengers.
