The Mysterious Disappearance of Lars Mittank: Unraveling the Varna Airport Enigma
On July 8th, 2014 (Tuesday), Lars Joachim Mittank, a 28-year-old German tourist, vanished under bizarre circumstances near Varna Airport in Bulgaria. He left behind a mystery that continues to captivate and confound.
However, I think this is a case where some sense can be made. My explanation of what I think happened to Lars Mittank will involve an analysis of both known facts regarding the case and some assumptions that I will bring into the mix.
Lars Mittank: German on Vacation in Bulgaria
Lars Mittank was on vacation. I think that is very relevant to this missing persons case, a point that I will return to later.
But what began as a typical vacation with friends at the Golden Sands resort turned into one of the most perplexing missing persons cases of the modern era. This is thanks to enigmatic behavior that was caught on security footage that captured his final known moments. In a way, that makes this case similar to the Elisa Lam mystery from Los Angeles, another strange missing persons case from the 2nd decade of the current century.
Before Lars disappeared, he had been enjoying a week-long trip. This trip took a turn for the worse when he had one of those altercations at the bar involving a sports team debate. Reportedly, a football rivalry in a barroom setting led to a beating, and this beating was bad enough that it left him with a ruptured eardrum.
Personally, I had a major ear clog at one point in my life, one that lasted three weeks. I was advised not to swim and not to hike to a significantly high elevation until it cleared up. This was because diving underwater or going to high elevation causes changes in air pressure.
The ears are a major point in the body where changes in air pressure matter. If Lars had a ruptured eardrum, then flying was off the table for him, surely because the changes in pressure might have made his injury worse.
Advised against flying, he stayed behind as his friends returned to Germany. On Monday, July 7th, he checked into a hotel near the airport, where his behavior took a troubling turn.
He paced the halls, hid in an elevator, and made panic-driven phone calls to his mother. During these calls, he whispered that he felt threatened and unsafe.
His paranoia peaked on the morning of Tuesday, July 8th (the day he was set to fly home). At the airport, he visited a doctor for clearance but fled mid-appointment, abandoning his belongings. CCTV footage shows him sprinting across the grounds, scaling a fence, and disappearing into a field of sunflowers. To this day, he has never been seen again.
Below is the actual security footage capturing Lars Mittank’s final known moments as he flees Varna Airport:
The Infographics Show: Lars Mittank's Case Profiled
On April 9th, 2025, The Infographics Show published a list of haunting disappearances. They include the Lars Mittank disappearance. I embed the video below with starting points and stopping points that isolate only the Mittank disappearance (they covered multiple).
The footage of Lars was widely circulated online. This has made his case a focal point for amateur sleuths and true crime enthusiasts. The theories focus on mental health, medication side effects, foul play, and psychosis.
Despite extensive searches, no trace of him has surfaced. A reported sighting by a truck driver in Germany on an unspecified day in 2019 offered fleeting hope, but it led nowhere. That sighting would be about five years after the disappearance date, making it a really strange tip.
As of April 9th, 2025 (Wednesday), Lars remains missing, his fate a haunting enigma.
Detail
Information
Full Name
Lars Joachim Mittank
Date of Birth
February 9th, 1986
Age at Disappearance
28
Nationality
German
Last Seen
July 8th, 2014 (Tuesday), Varna Airport, Bulgaria
Key Event
Fled the airport on foot, captured on CCTV
Physical Description
Approx. 5'11", slim build, short brown hair, male, caucasian, wearing yellow shirt and blue shorts.
Speculation on What Happened to Lars Mittank
I think the best explanation of what happened to Lars is simply that he suffered brain damage in the beating, which produced erratic behavior. It's known for sure he suffered a ruptured eardrum, so we aren't talking about a minor altercation. Furthermore, brain injuries are thought to cause paranoia, according to some medical experts. This refers to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), damage from a blow to the head—like the beating Lars endured—which can disrupt brain function and trigger symptoms like paranoia or hallucinations, especially if areas near the ears, such as the temporal lobe, are affected.
Beatings between sports fans can be significant. There was a fan at a Major League Baseball game in 2011, Bryan Stow, who suffered brain damage over one of these affairs. His case has stayed in the news over the years, including an article for 2023. I think this ties in because simple sports-fan fights can still produce massive injuries.
Lars was not thought to be on drugs. Meanwhile, his medications, according to The Infographics Show, were not the kind that would commonly cause mental problems. I think that leaves the probabilities of what caused his behavior squarely having to do with the beating he suffered. The YouTube video does delve into this possibility a little bit.
Why Lars Mittank Has Not Been Found
The next question is one that I think most readers will remain perplexed by. Why has he not been found?
On that matter, I will return to the fact that he was a vacationer. Lars Mittank was not a Bulgarian but a German in Bulgaria.
In general, I think countries are less likely to spend public funds searching for missing tourists than their own nationals. I think this could happen in any country.
For example, I suspect something like this may have deflated the Elisa Lam case a little, as she was a Canadian who went missing in the USA. Furthermore, the case of Duncan MacPherson, a Canadian who went missing in Austria, is a striking example. The evidence basically showed that he was in a small area, but it would be over a decade before he would be found. With the MacPherson case, a cover-up, the exact opposite of an investigation, from the authorities has been suggested.
I don't think the police are overly motivated on most days. I think they will be less motivated looking for someone from a country that's not their own. Any excuse to deprioritize will look good to someone who has a budget to think of -- and all police forces have budgets to think of.
Furthermore, police searches fail quite a lot: plain and simple. I don't mean that they fail because the person isn't in the target area. Police searches fail quite a lot, even when they search the right area. If the search starts to get expensive, it gets called off -- it's that simple. Lots of missing people have been found after many years in an area that was supposedly scoured by searchers.
Most Likely Explanation: A Summary
Lars suffered a beating in the days before his disappearance. If he had some kind of hallucination or paranoia due to brain damage, then he probably had a desire to hide. Keeping in mind that he was fit and that mental problems don't limit you physically, he could, in fact, put himself in a really good hiding spot. He could also move quite a long distance on foot.
Quite frankly, he's likely in one of the wooded areas near where he was last seen, with the search complicated by police budgeting, animal scattering, and, presumably, the MP's own brain damage in the time frame leading up to his disappearance. This last point can't be ignored: someone who is suffering mentally but not physically could hide himself quite well.
Details from a government source (might be paraphrased):
Nichols, a mother of two small children, was last seen alive on December 10th, 1987, at her home in Gothenburg. Her husband reported her missing the next day, and she has never been seen since.
The Nebraska State Patrol investigated the case and the family hired a private detective to no avail.
Although authorities suspect Christi Jo Nichols is dead, her body never has been found. At first, police handled the disappearance as a missing persons case, but as time progressed, it evolved into suspicion of murder.
An investigation revealed traces of Christi's blood in the couple's house and in the husband's car. Recent DNA tests have proved that the blood found was indeed Christi's.
Her suitcase, along with her purse, was found at a rest stop near Maxwell in 1988.
Christi was in an abusive relationship and had been treated in an emergency room for injuries weeks before she disappeared. She was planning to leave her husband at the time of her disappearance.
Last contact: December 10th, 1987
Last location: Gothenburg, Nebraska
Age when Christi Jo Nichols disappeared: 22
Sex: Female
Height in inches: 69
Weight in pounds (lbs): 120
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Hair color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
Scar or distinctive characteristic: Scar left eye; scar on abdomen; and pierced ears.
Link to Government Source: MP4677 (right-click to open)
BMI means body mass index. It is meant to describe someone's healthy body weight relative to the individual's height. It is only food for thought because it does not account for all body types. Christi Jo Nichols had a BMI of 17.72. She was underweight by BMI standards at the time of her disappearance.
Commentary and Research
By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: March 10th, 2025
I covered this case some years ago in relation to an old episode of Unsolved Mysteries. Readers can find what I wrote at the following link: Christi Jo Nichols.
There was some news coverage with this case back in 2020. The Gothenburg Leader's Ellen Mortensen published an article on Christi's disappearance on January 16th, 2020 with updates the next month. The following bullet points summarize the news article.
On December 10th, 1987, Christi Jo Nichols went out with her husband, Mark Nichols; she has not been seen since; the children were left with a babysitter, who did not see or hear Christi when Mark returned
The next day, Mark gave conflicting stories about Christi’s whereabouts before filing a missing person report.
Spousal Abuse Allegations: Reports surfaced that Christi was treated for injuries from a fight with Mark, 10 days before disappearing and had consulted a divorce attorney two days prior, suggesting domestic tension.
Mark’s Claims: Mark insisted Christi left voluntarily, citing a missing suitcase (later found matching his exact description at a rest stop) and suggesting she ran off with another man, though evidence for this is thin.
Family and Community Impact: Christi’s family—parents, siblings, and children Lindsey and Preston—have lived without closure, while her disappearance remains a haunting memory in Gothenburg, driving ongoing efforts for answers.
Media and Public Role: The case gained attention through an Unsolved Mysteries episode, which I reviewed in another article.
Status back in 2020: Despite extensive searches and occasional leads, the case remains open but unsolved.
By: Shane Lambert Original time of writing: July 27th, 2023
The mystery of Joan Gay Croft is an enduring mystery in missing persons cases. An episode of Unsolved Mysteries (Robert Stack hosting) covered the events surrounding her disappearance. The episode is in Season 6, Episode 1. The following is a summary of the events as told in the episode of Unsolved Mysteries.
Tornado damage. By City of Woodward, Oklahoma - https://www.weather.gov/oun/events-19470409 (Exact URL & Archived URL), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134069705
The Disappearance of Joan Gay Croft, According to Unsolved Mysteries
A strong tornado struck the town of Woodard, Oklahoma in April 1947, killing scores of people in addition to widespread property damage (read about it at Wikipedia);
One family, the Crofts, loses its mother, the father is badly injured, and the two daughters require hospitalization;
Joan Gay Croft goes missing while in the hospital when two men in military khakis reportedly make off with her;
She has not been seen since;
The embedded video below should be started at the 31:30 mark.
What Happened After the Unsolved Mysteries Episode?
If you are reading this, then you are probably wondering what happened with this case after the Unsolved Mysteries episode? Well, as of July 27th, 2023, Joan Croft still has an active profile at NamUs, meaning she is still missing.
This is a case that I covered independently of the Unsolved Mysteries episode. I wrote about this case in 2020 and watched the television show more recently. I think the points I made in the 2020 article are still relevant for anyone interested in this case.
The Unsolved Mysteries episode does not depict Joan Gay Croft's injuries in the same light as the newspaper coverage from 1947 did. The episode says that Croft had a splinter that was finger-sized in her leg. The journalism at the time says the splinter was broom-handle-sized.
Furthermore, her injuries, according to her Namus profile, were not treated. At least, that's what I wrote in 2020 after reading her profile. As of July 27th, 2023, her profile states the following: "left calf - splinter wound from tornado (not removed prior to abduction)."
If the splinter was, in fact, broom-handle sized then who knows what kind of infection could result from having that untreated throughout a couple of days. Furthermore, there must have been significant blood loss.
April 20th, 1947. Blackwell-Journal Tribune.
Also, the Unsolved Mysteries episode presents her as a fairly well-groomed child huddled in the hospital basement with her sister. The journalism that covered her disappearance back in 1947 said that she had "severe facial abrasions and a possible head injury." She certainly was not in good shape.
FBI Not Interested in the Case So TV Show Likely Sensational
Another important point from the 1947 journalism, is that the FBI didn't investigate the case. They didn't have convincing enough proof that an abduction had taken place. Apparently, all the people who spoke in the Unsolved Mysteries episode were credible enough for the show but not for more serious matters.
The journalism at the time supports the notion that she died amidst the confusion and may have been buried under an incorrect name. I recommend that readers visit my article on this case but be sure to read the newspaper clippings that are embedded as well. This 'unsolved mystery' about two men in khakis will seem far less mysterious after that.
Unsolved Mysteries isn’t a great show when it comes to dealing with facts. In this case, I think that they were trying to captivate more than report.
Unsolved Mysteries Episode: Fake News From the 1980s
In fact, in the very same episode as the one that featured Joan Croft's case, they started with a tall tale of a man who had a fear of water. Turns out, as presented in the show, that it was because -- get this -- he was the reincarnation of a submarine sailor who drowned in WWII.
The television series dabbled in all kinds of nonsense. It's clear to anyone who is logical and reasonable that some people were willing to say whatever they needed to appear on the show. It's also clear that the show was willing to indulge such people and present them in a credible light to captivate the viewing audience.
I'm not saying that journalism can't behave similarly. Then, the question is why didn't they?
For those looking at this mystery, the journalism from 1947 is more reasonable than the fanciful Unsolved Mysteries episode.
Conclusion: In my opinion, Joan Gay Croft is probably in the local graveyard as supported by the 1947 journalism.
Ethnicity/Race: White Sex: Male Age at time of disappearance: 39 years old
Birthdate: September 19th, 1931 Hair: Brown Eye color: Hazel Height and weight at the time of disappearance: 6'1" and 210 pounds
NamUs description: "Hollingsworth is a doctor. Last seen in his office. Was described as being despondent over family problems. Left the office after argument with family member and was never seen again."
This is a case that received some newspaper coverage. This individual went missing on October 26th, 1970 but there were some leads on the case. According to the Sacramento Bee, his car was found near the Leviathan Mine.
Tue, Nov 10, 1970 – 16 · The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, California) · Newspapers.com
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