HAMBURG, Germany: In a tense and harrowing incident that gripped Hamburg airport, an armed father, embroiled in a custody dispute with the mother of his four-year-old daughter, held the child hostage, triggering the suspension of flights. After hours of negotiations, the 35-year-old man surrendered himself “without resistance,” according to German police.
The ordeal unfolded when the father barricaded himself and his daughter in his car at the foot of a Turkish Airlines plane on Saturday evening. He demanded to be allowed on board the aircraft, resorting to this extreme act amid a custody dispute with the child’s mother.
In a shocking breach of security, he rammed his car through the airport’s security area onto the apron where planes are parked, firing two shots into the air and hurling two burning bottles from his vehicle, as reported by the police.
On Sunday afternoon, local police made the reassuring announcement that “the hostage-taking has ended.” The father emerged from his car with his daughter and cooperated with security forces without putting up any resistance. Importantly, the child appeared to be in good health.
The resolution of this high-stakes situation involved an array of resources, with authorities deploying psychologists, negotiation teams, and rapid response units to the airport in northern Germany.
READ ALSO: Israel Intensifies Gaza Strikes Despite Ceasefire Calls
The incident was believed to stem from a custody dispute, with the driver’s wife alerting the police to the abduction of their child through an emergency call.
Negotiations during the standoff were conducted in Turkish, and law enforcement had reason to believe that the father was armed and potentially had explosives in his possession.
Initially, the man had demanded permission to fly to Turkey with his daughter, but as negotiations progressed, the objective evolved. A local police spokesperson explained, “That’s no longer the aim of negotiations.”
Amid the tension, a police spokeswoman confirmed that the child appeared to be physically well, drawing insights from telephone conversations with the father during the standoff.
Efforts were concentrated on dialogue and reaching a peaceful resolution throughout the incident. The spokeswoman emphasized the ongoing discussions, saying, “We are talking, talking, and talking again,” and underlined the commitment to finding a peaceful solution.
On Sunday morning, the airport management released a statement indicating that “Air traffic remains suspended until further notice.” The disruption to air travel had already caused the diversion of 17 flights that were scheduled to land in Hamburg on Saturday. As the situation unfolded, an additional 286 flights, expected to carry approximately 34,500 passengers, were scheduled for Sunday.
