German police reported that an armed father, who had taken his four-year-old daughter hostage, leading to the suspension of flights at Hamburg airport, surrendered himself “without resistance” on Sunday after extended negotiations. The 35-year-old man had barricaded himself and his daughter in his vehicle, situated at the base of a Turkish Airlines plane, demanding to be allowed on board following a custody dispute with the child’s mother.
The harrowing situation unfolded as the man forcibly drove his car through the airport’s security area onto the apron, the area where planes are parked. He fired two shots into the air and hurled two incendiary devices from his vehicle, creating a tense standoff, as reported by the police. Local authorities later confirmed the conclusion of the hostage situation in a social media post, stating, “The man has left his car with his daughter and has been taken in for questioning by security forces without resistance.” The update also noted that the child appeared to be in good health.
German law enforcement had deployed psychologists, negotiation teams, and rapid response units to address the crisis at the northern Germany airport. The incident was attributed to a dispute over custody of the child, with the driver’s wife alerting the police through an emergency call, reporting the abduction.
Extensive negotiations took place during the standoff, involving communication in Turkish. Authorities had initially indicated that the father was believed to possess a loaded weapon and possibly explosives. The man, identified as Turkish in the Bild newspaper, had initially demanded permission to fly to Turkey with his daughter, but the focus of negotiations had shifted during the course of the standoff.
By Agencies
