“Lucky for Ariane” is written on the clover made by the children. Six-year-old Arian has been missing for days, and with each passing day, the chances of the autistic boy being found alive are getting smaller. The huge research teams have left and a research group is taking over the work immediately.
1,200 people couldn't find it
They had high hopes for Sunday's search, the largest ever in Germany. In the end, 1,200 people, a 1,500-meter-wide human chain, drones, helicopters, and divers were not enough. Aryan, who disappeared last Monday, is still untraceable.
Less than 200 meters from the coordination centre, the six-year-old walked unnoticed from his parents' home to a new construction project shortly after 7pm on Monday. The parents called 911 shortly after and a surveillance camera recorded Arian, who has autism, walking down the street. The forest he might have gone to is right next door.
Then on Monday the decision: change tactics. Fewer emergency services, smaller searches and an investigation team. Police officers will now search in small groups in fields and along the Usti River, where footprints have been repeatedly found recently.
The “realistic phase” of research
Searching for Ariane: Balloons, fireworks, dogs – nothing worked
Balloons continue to fly in the elm fields. They hoped that Aryan was watching them out of curiosity. Police horse teams patrol the field paths and surrounding woods to encourage him to appear. They also set off fireworks, highlighted light cones at night, placed candy, and placed dogs on Ariane's path. It's all in vain.
