TRAFFIC at Hamburg airport was halted and the terminals evacuated last night over a “hostage situation” believed to have arisen over a custody dispute, police said.  

At around 8pm (0600 GMT), a gunman had rammed his car through the security area onto the tarmac, firing two shots in the air and flinging two burning bottles out of the vehicle, a police spokesman said.  

At least two individuals – including a child – were in the car, police said.  

The wife of the driver had placed an emergency call alerting police to the abduction of her child, the spokesman added.  

“We are on site with a large contingent of emergency services. We are currently assuming a static hostage situation,” Hamburg police said on X.  

The car remained parked in the apron area of the airport.  

Police added later yesterday that they believed “a custody dispute is the background to this operation”.   

Psychologists as well as officers specialising in negotiations were on site, said police, adding that they were in contact with the individual in the vehicle. – AFP, November 5, 2023.