Girl, four, released from ‘hostage situation’ at Hamburg airport

The siege is over

Police vehicles and ambulances arrive at Hamburg airport after an armed man drove through a gate (AP)

A four-year-old girl has been released after her father allegedly held in her a “hostage situation” at Hamburg airport after driving a car through a barrier onto the runway.

Hamburg police said the incident was “over” and that the 35-year-old suspect had got out of his car with his daughter — who appears to be unharmed — following a night of tense negotiations. He has been arrested.

The car had been parked under a Turkish Airlines plane as police worked to free the girl. Police had said they believed the man was armed.

In its latest update, Hamburg Police said: “The hostage situation is over.

“The suspect got out of the car with his daughter. The man was arrested by the emergency services without resistance. The child appears to be unharmed.”

The airport is now looking to reopen after the evacuation of 3,200 passengers and staff on Saturday night. The incident is said to have been triggered by a custody dispute.

Hamburg Airport posted on X to say work was underway to “resume flight operations as quickly as possible”.

The man is said to have set several fires in the airport area, according to German outlet Bild. He threw two burning bottles out of the car, “a kind of Molotov cocktails,” Thomas Gerbert, spokesman for the federal police was quoted as saying.

But police would later not confirm their earlier statements that the man had fired shots.

A spokesperson for the airport said 27 flights had been affected (AP)

The suspect’s wife is reported to have alleged a possible child abduction.

A spokesperson for the airport said at least 27 flights had been affected.

Hamburg Airport wrote early Sunday morning on X that cancellations and delays are to be expected for the whole day.