As of: April 26, 2024 5:01 p.m
Six-year-old Arian has been missing from Bremervörde for four nights. The police have now changed their strategy in the search for the boy. The Bundeswehr is sending 150 more soldiers.
Today, the search for six-year-old Arian from Bremervörde (Rotenburg district) is once again focused on the Oste river northwest of Elm and the district of Elm itself. The emergency services have changed their strategy. They are now searching in small groups instead of chains, as a police spokesman said. New search corridors have also been set up. Along the Oste you search the river north towards Kranenburg. There is great concern that the boy may have fallen into the water. In addition to police, fire brigade and German Red Cross (DRK) forces, the Bundeswehr is back in action. At around 3 p.m., 150 additional soldiers from the Air Force’s Object Protection Regiment in Schortens (Friesland district) arrived in Bremervörde to support the search for Arian. According to the Bundeswehr, a total of over 450 soldiers are currently taking part in the search operation.
“Hope among the emergency services is still extremely high”
The rescuers were also active again in the Elm district. According to the fire department, garbage collection was canceled so that helpers could search for the boy in the bins. In addition, manhole covers, sheds and garages should be opened to search for the boy. According to information from NDR Lower Saxony, the emergency services are currently focusing their search on the sewer system. According to the police, six-year-old Arian is autistic, which in his case means that he cannot articulate himself and does not respond to being spoken to – including when his name is called. However, there was no sign of life from the child until the afternoon. “The hope among the emergency services is still extremely high,” said police spokeswoman Sara Mehnen. “But we know that time is against us.”
Videos
1 Min
The hope: The child runs to the light and is found. The day before, divers had searched for the boy in Bremervörde. (04/26/2024) 1 min
Cones of light and children’s songs are intended to attract Arian
On Friday night, the police set up spotlights in the search area that project a beam of light into the sky and played children’s songs until the morning. The police hoped to provide an incentive for the missing boy. “The boy may react positively to something like this,” said a spokesman. On Thursday, around 250 soldiers from the army base in Seedorf (Rotenburg district) arrived to help with the search. According to the Bundeswehr, 60 additional forces from Schortens arrived that evening. The Bundeswehr operation is coordinated by the Bundeswehr’s Territorial Command in Berlin.
Six-year-old is traveling without a jacket or shoes
Arian left the house only lightly dressed.
Even after days of operation, the search will continue unabated. “As long as we see an opportunity and can keep looking, we will keep looking,” said Bremervörde’s city fire chief Nils Schwarz to NDR Lower Saxony. The emergency services repeatedly emphasize that the situation is serious: According to the police, the boy left his home on Monday evening only lightly dressed: an ochre-yellow long-sleeved sweater, black sweatpants – and no shoes. This was confirmed by images from a private surveillance camera in the area, it was said.
Search for Arian with drones and dogs
The police, fire brigade, German Life Saving Society (DLRG) and German Red Cross (DRK) have been in large-scale operations since Monday evening – with extensive technical equipment. “It is very impressive how motivated the emergency services are here,” said city fire chief Schwarz to NDR Lower Saxony. In Bremervörde-Elm, the community center, the gym and the fire station were opened. “We give them all the support we can give the emergency services here,” Elm’s local mayor Erich Gajdzik (CDU) told NDR Lower Saxony.
Police have set up a tip line
The police in Bremervörde have set up a tip line. Anyone who has anything to say about the boy’s whereabouts is asked to call Telephone number (04761) 7489-135 or -144 Report to.
Further information
The missing six-year-old from Bremervörde is autistic. According to a therapist, he probably behaves differently than his peers. (04/25/2024) more
The boy is autistic and does not react when spoken to. According to the police, he disappeared in Bremervörde-Elm. (04/23/2024) more
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NDR 1 Lower Saxony | Current | April 26, 2024 | 17:00 o’clock