In 2014, 28-year-old German tourist Lars Mittank vanished under mysterious circumstances, leading to one of the most perplexing missing person cases in recent history. After running out of Varna Airport in Bulgaria without any belongings, Lars has never been seen again. His strange behavior leading up to his disappearance and the lack of evidence has led to several theories, ranging from psychosis to more sinister possibilities.1
The Last Holiday

Lars traveled with a group of friends to the popular Golden Sands resort in Bulgaria for a beach getaway. Everything seemed normal until the last days of their vacation when Lars got into a fight with other German tourists over football. The night took a bizarre turn as Lars split from his friends and didn’t return until the next morning, claiming he had been beaten by unknown men, leaving Mittank with a jaw injury and a ruptured eardrum. Despite his injuries, Lars initially planned to return to Germany with his friends. However, a local doctor advised him to stay behind and avoid flying due to his ear injury, which could worsen during the flight.
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A Drastic Change in Behavior

After his friends left, Lars began exhibiting increasingly erratic behavior. He checked into a budget hotel near the airport but spent much of his time pacing the hallways, peering out windows, and acting paranoid, according to CCTV footage. He called his mother several times, claiming that people were trying to kill him. His fear was palpable as he asked her to cancel his credit cards. The night before his planned return to Germany, Lars’ strange actions escalated. He told his mother in a hushed voice that he was hiding from men who wanted to rob and kill him. His behavior suggested a deep sense of paranoia, though it remains unclear what had triggered this sudden shift.
The Disappearance

On July 8, 2014, Lars Mittank was making his way to Varna Airport for his flight home. Before boarding, he saw the airport doctor, who confirmed that Lars was unfit to fly. During the consultation, a construction worker entered the room, and Lars suddenly panicked, shouting, “I don’t want to die here!” He then bolted out of the office, leaving behind all of his belongings, including his phone and wallet.2 CCTV footage captured Lars running frantically through the airport and into a nearby forest. Despite extensive searches, no trace of him has ever been found. His disappearance remains a mystery, with no new evidence coming to light in the years since.
Theories Behind His Vanishing

Lars Mittank’s strange behavior has led to numerous theories about what happened to him. The most plausible theory is that he experienced a psychotic break, possibly triggered by a head injury sustained during the fight. Some have speculated that the injury might have triggered latent mental health issues, such as schizophrenia or paranoia. Another theory links Lars’ behavior to the antibiotics he was prescribed for his ear injury. While the antibiotic Cefprozil has rarely been associated with hallucinations, Lars never filled the prescription, ruling out this cause.
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Darker Theories

Several more sinister theories have also surfaced. Some believe Lars Mittank may have been involved in drug smuggling or human trafficking, but there is no concrete evidence to support these claims. Others speculate that he may have been the target of organ trafficking or that his death was covered up to protect Bulgaria’s tourism industry. While these theories have gained traction online, none of them have been substantiated by facts, and the mystery of Lars’ disappearance remains unsolved.
An Unsolved Mystery

Lars Mittank’s disappearance is as baffling today as it was in 2014. With no concrete evidence and no body ever found, the case is full of unanswered questions. Whether his fate was the result of a psychotic episode or something more sinister, his story continues to captivate and disturb those who seek to understand what happened.
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Sources
- “Horrific theory about what happened to man who ran out of airport without belongings and disappeared forever.” Lad Bible. Brenna Cooper. September 7, 2024.
- “The Perplexing Disappearance of Lars Mittank.” Historic Flix. Steven Jones