Lars Mittank: The Man Who Ran Out of an Airport and Vanished

On July 8, 2014, a man ran out of an international airport in broad daylight.

He left his luggage behind. He vaulted a security fence. And then he disappeared.

That man was 28 year old Lars Mittank. More than a decade later, no confirmed trace of him has ever been found.

Who Was Lars Mittank?

Lars Joachim Mittank was born on February 9, 1986, in Berlin, Germany. He was raised in Itzehoe, and many later reports describe him as being from Marne in the northern German state of Schleswig Holstein.

He was known among family and friends as quiet, reserved, and dependable. According to his mother, he had no history of mental illness prior to the events that unfolded in Bulgaria.

In the summer of 2014, Lars traveled with friends to Golden Sands, a popular resort town near Varna on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The trip was meant to be short and uncomplicated. Within days, everything changed.

The Altercation at Golden Sands

In early July 2014, shortly before the group’s scheduled return to Germany, Lars was involved in an altercation with other tourists. Accounts vary, but it is generally reported that the incident occurred during a dispute over a soccer match or at a bar.

Lars reported being struck during the confrontation. Afterward, he complained of jaw pain, dizziness, and ear discomfort.

While his friends returned home as planned, Lars chose to stay behind after being advised not to fly immediately due to his symptoms.

This decision would place him alone in a foreign country during the final days before his disappearance.

Medical Treatment and Growing Fear

Lars sought medical attention and was diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum. He was prescribed antibiotics and advised to rest before flying.

During the days that followed, Lars began behaving in ways that alarmed those close to him.

He called his mother multiple times, telling her he believed he was being followed. He said four men were watching him and that he feared they intended to harm or rob him. He asked her to cancel his bank cards.

Hotel staff later reported that Lars appeared nervous and agitated. Security footage from at least one hotel reportedly showed him pacing and behaving erratically, though no one reported seeing anyone threatening him.

There is no verified evidence that the men Lars feared actually existed.

July 8, 2014: Varna Airport

On the morning of July 8, 2014, Lars took a taxi to Varna Airport. He entered the terminal carrying his backpack and suitcase, intending to fly back to Germany.

Airport security cameras show him walking calmly through the building.

At one point, Lars was examined by an airport doctor, likely related to his ear injury and flight clearance. According to witnesses, Lars suddenly became distressed during the consultation. He stood up abruptly, left his belongings behind, and ran.

Security footage captured him sprinting through the terminal, exiting the airport, and climbing over a perimeter fence into a nearby wooded and undeveloped area.

This is the last confirmed sighting of Lars Mittank.

Search Efforts and Disappearance

Bulgarian authorities launched an immediate search of the area surrounding the airport. The terrain included fields, forested areas, and abandoned structures.

Search dogs were deployed. Helicopters were used. Nearby buildings were checked.

No physical trace of Lars was found.

No clothing. No personal items. No confirmed sightings.

Despite the high visibility of the location and the public nature of his disappearance, the search produced nothing.

Theories and Unanswered Questions

Over the years, several theories have been proposed. None have been proven.

One possibility is that Lars experienced an acute psychological episode triggered by stress, injury, or fear. Such episodes can occur even in individuals with no prior mental health history. This theory aligns with his paranoia, sudden flight response, and confusion. It does not explain where he went or how he avoided detection.

Lars was reportedly prescribed an antibiotic, sometimes identified as cefprozil. Some antibiotics have been associated with rare neuropsychiatric side effects. There is no medical confirmation that this occurred in his case, and no toxicology testing was ever performed. This remains speculative.

Another theory suggests a concussion or head trauma from the earlier altercation. Head injuries can cause confusion, paranoia, and erratic behavior. Again, no imaging or medical evidence exists to confirm this.

Some believe Lars may have encountered danger after leaving the airport. However, no physical evidence of violence or robbery has ever been discovered. Authorities have never confirmed this theory.

Why the Case Still Disturbs People

What makes the disappearance of Lars Mittank so unsettling is not just that he vanished, but how visible his final moments were.

Most missing person cases fade quietly.

Lars ran away from an international airport in front of cameras, staff, and travelers.

And then he was gone.

No confirmed sightings followed. No remains were found. No answers were given to his family.

Missing or Strange?

The case of Lars Mittank defies easy classification.

It is undeniably a missing person case.

But the circumstances surrounding his disappearance are deeply strange.

There was no clear reason to run. No clear destination. And no clear explanation for how he vanished so completely.

Final Thoughts

Somewhere beyond the fence at Varna Airport, Lars Mittank’s story either ended or continued in a way the world has never been able to trace.

What caused him to flee? Where did he go? And how does someone disappear in the modern world without leaving a single confirmed trace?

Until those questions are answered, the disappearance of Lars Mittank remains one of the most haunting unsolved cases of the last decade.