Bulgaria - Lars Mittank, 28, German tourist, Varna airport, 8 July 2014

[Elainera]

Interpol page for Lars:

https://www.interpol.int/notice/search/missing/2014-65246

 

[Elainera]

Yes the family also suspects mental illness. Just found this on the fb page:

"It is possible that our son is suffering from amnesia or some other type of mental illness and is therefore unable to find his way home. "

https://www.facebook.com/findetlarsmittank/posts/527548760749442

 

[adeedra]

So, there is my timeline:




June 30, 2014
Lars arrived in Varna, Bulgaria with 4 friends (one of which is his former classmate)
They were staying in all inclusive "Viva" hotel by the beach.
They were spending time on the beach and by the pool.
At nights they were partying at bars and clubs, watching soccer at bars (June 30th, July 1th, 4th, 5th)

July 4, 2014
6pm-9pm Lars and his friends were watching Fifa World Cup match France - Germany, (0:1)

July 5, 2014
10pm-2am - Lars and his friends were watching Fifa World Cup match - Costa Rica - Netherlands (0(4):0(3))
at "Rock Bar" at Golden Sands

I'm not 100% sure but as I walked Varna using GSV for hours looking for same locations from pictures and reconstruction of events this is most likely that "Rock Bar"
https://www.google.pl/maps/@43.2846...gr_7A05K9lB2IJicHg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

July 6, 2014
Sometime during that match Lars got into a confrontation, with a group of (German?) fans of "Bayern Munich".
2-2:15am - end of World Cup match
Sometime later Lars and his friends are Leaving "Rock Bar" (as one of the latest guests), going to the "Ministry of Coctails" stairs to walk down to the beach and walk to McDonalds

https://www.google.pl/maps/place/Ministry+of+Cocktails/@43.2893143,28.0460949,3a,75y,323.47h,97.77t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1s-s8bNrr54VBI%2FVh7LdoRlL5I%2FAAAAAAAAH2c%2FWYZvxA-le_s-fzI3tyz9AZkMjKpIuakRgCJkC!2e4!3e11!6s%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2F-s8bNrr54VBI%2FVh7LdoRlL5I%2FAAAAAAAAH2c%2FWYZvxA-le_s-fzI3tyz9AZkMjKpIuakRgCJkC%2Fw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya327.33395-ro-0-fo100%2F!7i10696!8i5348!4m5!3m4!1s0x40a4f8d99b2205a3:0xec207a3020538eeb!8m2!3d43.2840809!4d28.0442432 It's not really a restaurant, so it's quite clear why Lars didn't went "inside" with his friends. https://www.google.pl/maps/@43.2893165,28.0459338,3a,75y,59.03h,75.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfnSnUoYBtMzU_I1IVreW9Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

If someone was curious why Lars didn't get inside that restaurant - that's why:

Lars was waiting for his friends standing approximately 20 meters (22 yards)away from them friends.
His friends "lost" him.
He was nowhere to be seen so they came back to hotel "Viva" and went to sleep.


When they woke up, Lars was there.
He was hurt and explained to his friends that those guys with whom he got into a confrontation at "Rock Bar" last night payed to some Bulgarian or Russian guys to beat him up.
His ear was hurting him.
He said that he was punched in his head (but nobody's saying that it was only one punch).


He didn't seek any medical help at that day.


July 7, 2014
They have tickets on that day.
Lars was in pain and afraid that flight can make his injury worse and affect his career and work.
Lars and his friend visited nearest doctor, where they learned that Lars has a perforated eardrum.
He said that he can fly but advised him that he should visit specialist.
That happened at "Beauty and wellness SPA clinic" at "Hilton" hotel in Varna.

I found it. As you can see - it's the same place in the "Golden Sands" area.

I marked these places on a map:

tbc. because I can attach only 5 pictures per post and I have more of them.

 

[mpnola]

Nice work!!! ^^^

 

[adeedra]

July 7, 2014


As they (Lars and his friend, P.) visited that clinic it was already the time for them to go to the airport (presumeably for flight at 4:20pm)
At the time his friends didin't knew that he's not in the right condition for flying but Lars was determined to seek laryngologist at hospital.
His friends left him alone in Varna and went to catch their flight.


Lars arrived to st. Anna's hospital in Varna.
Dr. Boris Najdenow examined him and told Lars that he need a surgery and that he's in no condition for flying, althought Lars didn't wanted to have that surgery in Bulgaria.
Lars refused to stay at hospital (it's possible that he wanted to stay but because of some communication problems he understand that he's not allowed to stay as he refuses surgery) and doctor gave him a prescription for Cefuroxime 500.
It was evening when he get out of st. Anna's hospital.

He then took a taxi and asked driver about cheap motels. He visited drugstore before he arrived at the Hotel Color (which is placed in the least safe part of the city)

And this is how this place looks on their ad-pics (lobby and some kind of patio inside:

I also found some great look inside that hotel in this youtube review [video=youtube;zY_2jVfq_i0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_2jVfq_i0[/video]

There are screenshots of the window view:

 

[adeedra]

*there is only one way to go in or out from "Color", unless he jumped out the window, was hiding in somewhere there and climbed down eventually.

Opposite side viev of "Color":

July 7, 2014

10:50pm - Lars arrives at "Color" hotel.
That place isn't very highly rated by some guests, in their revievs they are mentioning that is a very noisy place, even during the night and refer to it as "full of prostitutes".


Lars told his mother that his cards are cancelled and asked her to try to unblock it. She did, but she failed.
11:50pm - Lars calls his mother told her that "Color" hotel is a strange place and that he's not feeling safe there. That call suddenly ended.
1:00am - Lars letf "Kolor" hotel.
Lars called his mother and told her whispering, that he's hiding at some high place and must be very careful. She didn't call him to not put him in a danger.
At some point Lars texted her and asked her about Cefuroxime 500.
`~4:30am - Lars catches a taxi while there is another passenger, a woman which were later asked about it.
5:00am - Lars arrives at the airport.
He calls his mother, told her that he's intend to see another doctor at the airport has no money and asked her to check if she's able to send him money by Western Union - as he asked some man from Germany about it earlier and learned that Western Union will be the best way (earlier at night he was saying that he has enough money so his mother was surprised).


Sandra Mittank bought a plain ticket for Lars (it suppose to leave the airport at 4:20pm) and a bus ticket to Hamburg.
She has last conntact with her son just before Lars enters doctor's office. He told her that he will call her after that visit.

Lars came into doctor's office.
Doctor noticed that he was nervous since he showed up, examined him and told him that he's not in condition for flying (and will not be through at least next 10 days) and he will not allow him to do so unless he will sign some documments that he's aware and been warned that flight can end up with his death.
Lars insist that he must fly as soon as possible.

Doctor Gave him these papers to sign and at that moment some guy, dressed as "construction worker" or "airport worker" showed up.
As he saw that man, he freaked out, refused to calm down and left his luggage, phone and documments at doctor's office.


5:46am - Lars runs off from doctor's office and from the airport, through the fence and bushes.

Screenshot from top5's video shows Varna's airport and his way of running:

Here is the fence where he was las seen:

And here is the view from that point (behind fence).
"Woods". Highway is clearly visible.

In sources dated few months after Lars disappeared are two things which are lost or changed later:


1. Before Lars send his mother text with question about Cefuroxime he mentioned to her that someone at "Color" was asking him about these pills as they saw them.
2. At some point Lars calls his mother again and told her that he's followed by the same group of four "Bayern" fans which he got into confrontation at "Rock Club" and that he's in hiding.
Earlier sources are saying that happened on the airport, before he entered doctor's office. Later it's totally messed up and pushed at different time points starting from July 6th till his disappearance.

 

[Elainera]

Fantastic job adeedra! It is great to actually see all those places. Thank you!!

 

[Elainera]

I have two questions adeedra:

"Lars told his mother that his cards are cancelled and asked her to try to unblock it. She did, but she failed."

In the video I summarized a few days ago, his mom says he called her at 11.50pm and asked her to cancel the credit card because he had just paid with it at the hotel and felt something was not right. Did you see it reported differently?


"... he will not allow him to do so unless he will sign some documments that he's aware and been warned that flight can end up with his death."

This is more of a general question - can flying with a ruptured ear drum really result in death? I did not know that this was such a serious injury. I also didn't know that people get surgery for it (as was offered to him at the hospital). I once had "a small tear" (as the doctor called it) in my ear drum and all I was told was, it'll heal on its own.

I also wonder, since Lars (presumably) did not get any treatment at all for his ear after he ran off, what became of it?

 

[Elainera]

Now I'm even more confused. I googled "ruptured eardrum" and found out that, yes, sometimes surgery is indicated but usually it heals by itself.

BUT I also found this:

Is it safe to fly with a perforated eardrum?

Yes, it is safe to fly with a perforated eardrum. However, if you’ve had surgery to repair a perforated eardrum (myringoplasty), you shouldn’t fly until your doctor or surgeon says it is safe to do so.

http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/p/article/perforatedeardrum

bbm

So why was he told by several doctors that he can't fly, that he should wait 10 days??

 

[mpnola]

Now I'm even more confused. I googled "ruptured eardrum" and found out that, yes, sometimes surgery is indicated but usually it heals by itself.

BUT I also found this:



http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/p/article/perforatedeardrum

bbm

So why was he told by several doctors that he can't fly, that he should wait 10 days??

Were the doctors the ones to give these accounts of what happened? I can imagine it would be excruciating, with pressure change, but I wouldn't expect death possiblity.

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

 

[neesaki]

There was an Bulgarian truck driver who said he could possibly giving him a ride....to where?

It would be good to have more information on this truck driver. And where, etc. I'm sure LE surely has more info. ? ... that we will never have.

 

[Elainera]

Were the doctors the ones to give these accounts of what happened? I can imagine it would be excruciating, with pressure change, but I wouldn't expect death possiblity.

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

I did not hear the possibility of death mentioned in the videos I watched, so I don't know who said this, but I do remember one or both of the doctors saying that he shouldn't fly. Now I wonder why they said that. Maybe just as a precaution, maybe the tear was quite large?

If Lars had a smartphone and had googled as I just did it would have made him very suspicious of these doctors.

 

[Elainera]

It would be good to have more information on this truck driver. And where, etc. I'm sure LE surely has more info. ? ... that we will never have.

I would think that they probably canvassed the area where he said he dropped Lars off but nothing came from it? The PI was reportedly very active in Bulgaria (I don't know if he still goes down there).

 

[neesaki]

Thanks for pointing me in this direction of this thread. And I think you are right. This has all the signs of the onset of Schizophrenia, to me. Disclaimer- I worked as an Mental Health Professional and was the Associate Director of community home programs for 16 years. I have a Masters Degree in Counseling, along with my certification, but we will consider this not a professional assessment (as I am not verified). We will consider it my life experience.

Few things--- (I will apologize in advance. After working directly with the most chronically treated mental health adults for 16 years, I tend to explain through examples and stories. Never giving enough info to break confidentiality, though)

The fight- did anyone ever say they saw it? Or did he just report this to his friends after he disappeared. I am doubting this ever happened. I once had a "client" (we don't really call them that, but we will say that for ease) who I had brought out of town for Special Olympics (dual diagnosis). We finished eating at a restaurant and she said she needed to go back in to go to the restroom. We all waited outside, but I watched her through the window. I WATCHED her through the window. She reached the bathroom, turned around and ran out the restaurant screaming about how some b**** just accused her of sleeping with her husband and punched her. She then proceeded to try to punch me. She was very convincing! People were not sure if it actually happened. But, it did not. It was part of her delusions. No woman even spoke to her, much less punched her. I was watching. I say all of that because it is highly likely he believed this himself, but it didn't happen. He could have also hit himself, put something in his ear, anything that caused damage. If a person is having auditory hallucinations, it would not be uncommon for them to stick something in their ear to try to make it stop. Unless there is corroboration that the fight actually existed, I'm not going to 100% bank on it yet.

As for the airport- I immediately noticed the lady he walks past. If you notice, it almost looks like he says something (possibly non-sensical) and she points the way. It is the same time the guy in the blue turns around and looks. I am going to bet if they talk to blue guy, he will report Lars either speaking loudly or saying things that seemed bizarre, which is why he was looking over his shoulder. Blue guy was looking out for his own safety, not looking to harm someone else, I will guess.

The thing that seems consistent throughout the days/ weeks leading up to this event is several people saying he was paranoid, acting strangely, not acting quite like himself, etc. This is common when someone is in the first stages of discovering it is Schizophrenia. People around you believe you! So, instead of realizing it is delusions and paranoia, people try to help keep a person away from the perceived harm. A big clue is him asking his mom about the number and letters on the pills. In my experience, most delusions surround government, God/ satan, someone (doctor, etc) trying to access control of them, tv and microwaves trying to control thoughts. To be paranoid about the pills would fit right in. They were very likely antibiotics that we all take and nothing more.

He had "someone" after him for a long time. This is likely perceived, not real. He left his friends and not only was he jumped, but there were groups of Russians and Bulgarians (Dont remember the specific groups) that did it. And no one saw. Then, a doctor wont let him leave. Then there are 4 guys following him at the hotel. Then, the hotel people cant be trusted and credit cards need to be canceled. Then, the doctor (who is obviously working with the pharmacist) gave him pills that were tainted. Then, the doctor at the airport wouldnt let him leave. And the airport personnel was terrifying and he needed to run from him..... do you see what I am getting at?

To me, Schizophrenia is the scariest thing that can happen to a person. Most of my "clients" were intelligent and had lived their lives like every one of us. Until they didn't. The fateful day that Schizophrenia took center stage. Most of them related the onset to a single time of drug usage. A very specific time. The best way i describe Schizophrenia to people is to imagine your dream state and your awake state meshing together. You can never know what things really exist or what things are just part of the dream state, leaking through into your reality. There is also usually some parts that are true. I had one of my guys tell me there were human bones in the garbage can upstairs. I went to investigate (with gloves on, of course, because you never know!) and it was an apple core. When he glanced into that garbage, the apple core took the shape of a finger bone. All of us can understand how something like this could happen in a dream. It is sadly the reality that they often live, not knowing if threats are real or perceived. And Schizophrenia can be very well controlled on meds. But, that takes a person knowing what is happening and receiving ongoing treatment.

My guess is that he all of a sudden thought his sweet mama would be in danger or possibly was part of the plot against him. He is probably living among the many other untreated mental health adults living as homeless. I hope they find him. Someone asked where the trucker brought him. That is a GOOOOD question. And an important lead to follow. I feel like he can be found, but it will take lots of people sending photos of homeless from all over the place. I always think about how many of our "missing" are probably right under our noses and ignored as people on the streets. I hope he is found and helped real soon.

Amazing post, mpnola. I think you're on to something. What you have said has made it all fit together in a reasonable way. Answering so many questions about Lars strange behaviors, etc. Invaluable. I honestly have thought it was most likely due to drugs, and/ or head injury. But now after reading your post, I think you're probably right. I hope, as you, that his mom and others are looking for him in the homeless communities. This is so terribly sad, I hope he is found soon.

 

[neesaki]

Were the doctors the ones to give these accounts of what happened? I can imagine it would be excruciating, with pressure change, but I wouldn't expect death possiblity.

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Flying with a ruptured eardrum I know will not cause death, my goodness, surely not. It can however very likely cause pain. Well, think about it, I have at times with even just a sinus problem had pain in my ears from flying, if one's ears can't compensate, that's what happens. Well, I'll try to find a link. When I have time? However, anyone please correct me if I'm wrong... about ANYTHING. TIA

 

[Elainera]

If he's living on the streets, it's tough now. They have minus temperatures in Bulgaria right now, probably in every winter.

Possibly he has long left the area and is gone south, the Mediterranean is only a few hundred kilometers away, much milder climate.

 

[Elainera]

Flying with a ruptured eardrum I know will not cause death, my goodness, surely not. It can however very likely cause pain. Well, think about it, I have at times with even just a sinus problem had pain in my ears from flying, if one's ears can't compensate, that's what happens. Well, I'll try to find a link. When I have time? However, anyone please correct me if I'm wrong... about ANYTHING. TIA

Maybe adeedra misheard/read?

 

[mpnola]

Flying with a ruptured eardrum I know will not cause death, my goodness, surely not. It can however very likely cause pain. Well, think about it, I have at times with even just a sinus problem had pain in my ears from flying, if one's ears can't compensate, that's what happens. Well, I'll try to find a link. When I have time? However, anyone please correct me if I'm wrong... about ANYTHING. TIA

I flew to north Carolina to see a Marine I was dating. I didn't even know I was congested and my ears hurt so much that I almost made him drive to get me from Charlotte instead of taking the second flight to Jacksonville. It was seriously so painful. I can imagine how bad a ruptured eardrum would be.

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[adeedra]

Few more things which I didn't realise before I started digging and jumped into bandwagon of "mental breakdown"...



Of course, some kind of drug could be involved, as well as actual mental breakdown - it's possible but are odds really pointing into that?

I didn't found any source quotting Sandra Mittank saying that she believes that some mental illnes suddenly appear, she's frequently saying that she believes in that possibility.
But first thing is that people and media are extremely willing to explain any weird event that way, especially if case seems complicated, second - choosing that way is relatively "safe" option as there is no blame pushed into any direction (in this case hotel staff, city of Varna - why there is no footage of Lars from July 7th? "Golden sands" is a very expansive section of Varna, it has to be plenty of cameras, at least at hotels and some on the streets I think, police, doctor) all guilt is put on "mental illness" and people could be more willing to help, third - Lars has no history of mental illness in his family and he never acted strangely before.

Woman from taxi told that had dilated pupils at that time.
There is no information if she was driving to the airport as well, payed for both of them or got out earlier (at least I can't find it).
Dilated pupils could point at drugs but according to the timeline as he catched that ride he spend few hours hiding somewhere in the dark - maybe his pupils were dilated as any other person pupils would be in these circumstances and she assumed drugs because as they reached her it was already stated that he acted weird and runned into the woods frantically? Or she was just nervous because of the situation and as he was scared she assumed that he's nervous because of drugs?

As we are thinking about side effects of Cefuroxime 500 we are forgetting about side effects of perforated eardrum.

Ear pain, sharp pain, hearing loss, drainage from ear, earnoise, buzzing, weakness, dizzyness, vertigo, ringing in ears, nausea, vomiting (according to webmd and wikipedia).

Symptoms can increase at some point - so Lars could be unaware of nature and scale of his injury at 7th of July and became more and more concerned as symptoms intensified.

His friends reaction to his injury seems to me as extremely weird.
Lars was spending time with them pretty much all the time, then he disappeared, came back hurt, told them that he was beaten and they "didn't know what to think about it"? And if they should believe him?
Why they were so suspicious if Lars never acted like that? Or weren't they?
That kind of "misunderstandings" and fights are quite common, it's not hard to find some drunk people seeking for someone to beat up or at least argue with? There was no need for Lars to do anything, he could just look at them in wrong way, seem too happy, talk with someone else about some football matches or used a name of "Werder Bremen" - and they could find him annoying enough to start an argue.
Also - paying someone to beat up someone else isn't so strange or shocking, especially in ex-soviet countries, where is much more young angry people always ready to fight, no matter what and no matter with whom.

That could happen. And seems very likely to me. How else would he get his ear perforated? Should we assume that he fell down directly on his ear or pierced his eardrum on purpose to make up this story and disappear?

Back to McDonalds:

They were walking by the beach and I doubt if that window at the back was open at night - if it was, they literally missed him disappearing into thin air, and didn't find it strange.
If that window was closed and they were waiting in line in front of that McDonalds, Lars was probably standing and waiting for them somewhere behind that shack and that boat, closer to the beach.
They were still pretty close to "Rock Bar" and easy to follow as neither of them suspected anything, and - if Lars was standing back then, he was quite easy to grab and drag somewhere to beat up. Or maybe they just attacked him and he managed to run away or fighted back, run off and waited somwhere until he was sure that nobody's following him.

These are just my thoughts and assumprions now, but I don't think that he was exaggerating at any point.
"Color" is a *****ty hotel in cheapest and unsafest district at the city in pretty unsafe country. He has his eardrum pierced, his actions doesn't seem random or irrational (maybe his fear at some point was - but we don't know that).

Also - that doctor from the airport seems extremely shady for me.
Where is that construction worker?
Does anyone needs to make a written permission that he's ready to risk his life going into that plane? I never heard about that.
Maybe I can't call it correctly but I can't even find anything like this to look into.
Are passengers in Bulgaria medically examined before doctor allow them to go on? That guy wasn't even a laryngologist.

That doctor from St. Anna's hospital told that surgery is necessary - what are that guy's qualifications to ask Lars to sign anything (except maybe something strictly related to bill for that visit)?

And where is that "construction worker"? What did he said? Did Lars runned through him?

If Lars was hitchhiking with a trucker then most likely he wasn't heading back to Varna's bus station, where he could tried to catch that bus for which his mother bought him ticket to.
But since he left his passport at the airport he wouldn't be able to enter that bus or legally get out of the country since Bulgaria isn't part of Schengen.

 

[adeedra]

Flying with a ruptured eardrum I know will not cause death, my goodness, surely not. It can however very likely cause pain. Well, think about it, I have at times with even just a sinus problem had pain in my ears from flying, if one's ears can't compensate, that's what happens. Well, I'll try to find a link. When I have time? However, anyone please correct me if I'm wrong... about ANYTHING. TIA

Ok, now I have a few douzens of sources to check.

But it wasn't about eardrums as much as about that doctor at the airport, if I'm recalling correctly it was somewhere in his statements abour Lars condition.

_______________________________
Here:
http://www.crimes.bg/криминално/7626-изгубен-ли-случаят-намери-ларс-митанк.html