Search party led by DLRG discovers deceased individual while seeking missing 19-year-old
Over the weekend, a young person from Hamburg vanished during a university gathering at a campsite located in the Lüneburg district. For several days, authorities conducted an extensive hunt for the missing individual, deploying numerous resources. Regrettably, they've now discovered a corpse.
The authorities are currently evaluating whether this deceased person is the missing 19-year-old; a formal identification is yet to be carried out, police stated. Earlier in the day, the search operations had been discontinued, with an official stating that they were no longer primarily searching for a missing person, but rather a body. In the afternoon, the German Lifesaving Association (DLRG) revisited the Ilmenau river near the campsite during a routine drill.
Around 6:15 p.m., the forces discovered an unresponsive body in the water and retrieved it. Initial autopsy findings suggested that the deceased was a young man, though the precise cause of death wouldn't be determined until further analysis within the next few days. The investigators are working closely with the missing person's family and have provided psychological support.
Drunken Episode
The 19-year-old had been under the influence of alcohol when he vanished without a trace in the wee hours of Saturday. He had been partying with his fellow students from Hamburg at the campsite located on the Ilmenau river in Lüneburg's Melbeck.
Last seen at around 11:00 p.m. on Friday, the students had planned to spend the night on the site. The missing individual was a first-year student at Hamburg's Technical University. "Our new semester has begun with an unexpected shock," professed the university's president, Andreas Timm-Giel. The Technical University had previously divulged that the accompanying student union had acted "responsibly and meticulously" following the disappearance, notifying the police after an initial search. Mental health resources were deployed in both Hamburg and the students' hometown.
Search Efforts
Between Melbeck and Lüneburg, the dive team and a sonar boat resumed their search in the river the following morning, unlike the day prior, with neither helicopters nor riot police in attendance. The police spokesperson assured that search operations had reached their limit as far as possibilities and police involvement were concerned. "We must assume the worst."
So far, the investigators are treating the incident as an accident, pointing to no signs of criminal violence. The police spokesperson further highlighted the challenges that arise when searching underwater, even with technical assistance. "It's like trying to see your hand in front of your face – due to the sediment," the spokesperson proclaimed. At one point, over 100 personnel were involved in the search, with boats, dogs, and drones providing assistance. Social media saw the family of the missing person publish a poster featuring the person's photos.
The investigators are hoping to confirm if the young man found in the water is the missing 19-year-old, as the precise identification process is still underway. Regrettably, the number of deaths associated with the incident has increased, as preliminary autopsy results suggest that the individual passed away.
