“Unfortunately, the night didn’t get us anywhere,” said a police spokesman on Saturday morning. There were no new leads. The search for the boy will continue on Saturday with a concentrated effort.
Emergency services continued to search for the missing boy on the Oste River. A police spokesman told the German Press Agency. The helpers traveled with several sonar boats on the Oste, a tributary of the Elbe. Additional emergency services are combing the area between the town of Elm and the municipality of Oldendorf. Around 50 police officers also volunteered to help.
200 soldiers on search mission
Using a so-called quiet strategy, around 200 Bundeswehr soldiers searched for the child in small groups and with night vision devices on Saturday night. A police spokeswoman said on Friday evening that the new tactic had also been discussed with an autism expert, among others. According to police, Arian is autistic and does not respond to speech. Beforehand, among other things, music was played and fireworks were set off because the boy liked it. The police hoped to get a lead on the six-year-old from northern Lower Saxony, who has been missing since Monday evening.
On Saturday the search will continue along the Oste River, but also around Elm again. In some places you have to check several times, said the spokesman. “It’s entirely possible that the boy is also moving back and forth. What was negative yesterday may be positive today.” At the same time, the search is already extending far into the neighboring Stade district.
Wave of willingness to help
According to the police, using fewer forces in the search or stopping it after several days is still not an option. “Absolutely not,” emphasized the police spokeswoman. According to a police spokeswoman, numerous passersby and neighbors offered help in finding the boy. The police set up a telephone number for tips or offers of help.
Arian left his parents’ house alone on Monday evening. Hundreds of emergency services have been combing the area around the six-year-old’s hometown for days. Given the low temperatures of the past few days, the search has become a race against time. A surveillance camera filmed the boy running towards an adjacent forest after disappearing from his home. The Bundeswehr increased its support to a total of around 450 soldiers on Friday.
On Friday the operation was concentrated in the area northwest of Elm. The search there also took place along the Oste River. There is great concern that the boy could have fallen into the water. The rescuers were also out and about in the district again. Barns and garages were searched. The municipality also canceled garbage collection scheduled for Friday.
Airplane, drones, helicopters
Meanwhile, the Bundeswehr increased its support. The Bundeswehr had already taken part in the search in the past few days – for example with a Tornado aircraft that took photos with a thermal imaging camera. Drones and a helicopter were also in the air.
