A hostage situation unfolding at Hamburg Airport is currently disrupting air travel, forcing cancelations and diversions of air traffic.
According to local media reports, a father took his daughter hostage amid a family dispute. The situation was still ongoing when this article was published.
On the evening of November 4, 2023, a 35-year-old man of Turkish nationality drove his car through an airport gate, gaining access to the tarmac. The man reportedly fired two shots into the air and threw two Molotov cocktails. The man took his 4-year-old daughter hostage and positioned himself near a Turkish Airlines airliner on the tarmac.
Negotiations have been ongoing, and police have deployed psychologists and negotiators on-site in addition to intervention units.
“The situation at the airport remains unchanged, the police operation continues,” Hamburg Airport reported at 8 a.m. local time. “Flight operations will remain suspended until further notice. Police are asking all passengers and those picking them up NOT to come to the airport. Access roads are largely blocked.”
The incident has had significant repercussions for air travel in the region. On November 4, 2023, 17 flights scheduled to land in Hamburg, carrying approximately 3,200 passengers, had to be diverted. With 286 flights planned the next day, the airport remains closed until further notice.
The father’s demands, as reported by the daily Bild, include flying to Turkey with his daughter. Negotiations are still ongoing, and authorities are committed to resolving the situation peacefully.