The Strange Disappearance of Lars Mittank

A Holiday in Paradise Turns Dark

In June 2014, 28-year-old Lars Mittank, a German man, traveled with friends to the Bulgarian resort town of Golden Sands. The Black Sea coastline was sunny, lively, and perfect for summer fun. Lars was an easygoing, athletic guy who loved travel.

But in the final days of the trip, everything changed.

The Bar Fight That Started It All

One night, Lars got into a minor disagreement with another group of tourists over football teams. It escalated into a small fight, and Lars was punched in the ear. The injury seemed minor at first — until a doctor diagnosed him with a ruptured eardrum and advised him not to fly until it healed.

His friends flew home as planned, but Lars stayed behind to recover, booking a budget hotel near the airport.

Strange Behavior in the Days After

According to hotel staff, Lars began acting strangely. He called his mother in Germany, whispering that people were trying to rob or kill him. He also texted her asking about antibiotics a doctor had prescribed, seeming suspicious of them.

One unsettling moment: hotel security footage shows him pacing, looking out windows, and appearing paranoid.

The Final Day

On July 8, 2014, Lars called his mother again, saying he felt unsafe and wanted to come home immediately. Despite his ear injury, he decided to fly anyway.

At Varna Airport, he entered the terminal and visited the airport doctor for clearance to board. Moments later, witnesses say he suddenly bolted out of the office -- without his luggage -- sprinted through the terminal, pushed through security, and ran out of the building entirely.

Captured on Camera

Surveillance cameras caught the chilling sight: Lars sprinting across the airport parking lot, running along a fence, and then into a field toward a dense forest.

That was the last confirmed sighting of him.

The Search

Police, search dogs, and volunteers scoured the surrounding fields and forest for days. No sign of Lars -- no clothing, no wallet, no remains -- was ever found.

His sudden burst of panic and disappearance baffled investigators.

Theories That Haunt the Case

Over the years, internet sleuths have offered several theories:

• Paranoid Reaction or Mental Breakdown : Some believe Lars suffered a sudden psychotic episode, possibly triggered by a head injury from the fight or a reaction to antibiotics.
• Drug-Related Threat : Others think he may have been threatened by criminals or got caught in something dangerous while alone in Bulgaria.
• Accidental Death : He may have run into the woods and suffered from dehydration or injury, though the lack of remains is puzzling.

Why Lars’ Case Went Viral

The case exploded online for one chilling reason: there is clear video evidence of the moment everything went wrong. Unlike most missing persons cases, we can actually watch Lars go from calm to terrified in seconds, then vanish.

The footage is haunting — a healthy young man fleeing into nowhere, never to be seen again.

A Family Without Closure

More than a decade later, Lars’ family still searches for answers. His mother regularly appears in media and missing persons databases, urging anyone with information to come forward.

His disappearance remains one of the most discussed unsolved cases in Europe, and one of the internet’s most chilling mysteries.