Selects: The Disappearance of Lars Mittank

The disappearance of Lars Matank remains an intriguing mystery, with circumstances leading up to his vanishing in July 2014 at Golden Sands, a lively resort town near Varna on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. Described by hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant as a pleasant, well-run vacation destination, Golden Sands is known for its popularity among young tourists and soccer fans.

German Engineer Lars Matank Had a Close Family Relationship

Lars Matank was born in February 1986 in northern Germany and was the only child in his family. After his father suffered a stroke a couple of years before Lars' disappearance, his mother became a full-time caregiver. Lars was deeply involved in his family’s welfare, returning almost every weekend, despite living and working about 100 miles away, to help care for his father.

Lars Agreed to Vacation With Friends

Though originally not planning to go, Lars was encouraged by his mother to join a week-long trip to Golden Sands, Bulgaria, with five friends. During the vacation, Lars seemed different to his friends—he ate far less than the others, opting for soup, salad, and fruit instead of indulging in the resort’s all-inclusive offerings. Some believed this was due to a recent health kick, as reported by an online documentarian, while others simply tho ...

Lars Reports Assault By Soccer Fans, Sustains Ruptured Eardrum

Lars returns after a night out in Bulgaria and claims he was beaten by three or four local men, reportedly fans of Bayern soccer club, with whom he and his group had earlier argued. He associates the assault with threats from the earlier encounter. His friends, however, express skepticism about his story because he displays no visible injuries except for his ear, and otherwise appears unharmed and calm. Online speculation suggests Lars may have fabricated the assault, but there is no definitive evidence either way.

Lars visits a doctor and is diagnosed with a ruptured eardrum. A specialist confirms the injury and recommends surgery, but Lars elects to return to Germany for any procedures rather than undergo surgery in Bulgaria. He is prescribed a strong dose—500 milligrams—of the antibiotic cefaroxime. This medication, a [restricted term]-based antibiotic, typically has few side effects, generally limited to issues like stomach upset, and nothing that matches the behaviors Lars later exhibits.

Because of the ruptured eardrum, Lars decides not to fly home with his friends, citing a concern about flying with the injury—though medical resources indicate it might have actually made flying more comfortable, not more dangerous. Regardless, Lars insists on staying behind while his friends catch the original flight back to Germany. There is some disagreement in sources about whether his friends offered to stay, but Lars insists he will manage alone.

Lars, in Varna, Worried the Hotel Staff Might Copy His Credit Card

Upon checking into a hotel in Varna, Lars becomes uneasy when the receptionist photocopies his credit card. He calls his mother at 11 p.m. and asks her to block the card, fearing potential fraud from the hotel staff. He suggests he will unfreeze it once he safely returns. This is the first of several anxious calls he makes to his mothe ...

Lars Fled Varna Airport, Leaving His Belongings

Lars Matank’s disappearance at Varna Airport is shrouded in confusion and conflicting accounts. Widely circulated reports state that Lars left behind all his belongings, including his wallet, phone, and passport, in the airport doctor's office. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant note this detail is prominent in coverage of the case and appears in various sources, but acknowledge even Lars’ mother cannot confirm with certainty exactly what was left behind. When she hired a Bulgarian lawyer to investigate, they received conflicting information about which items, if any, were found or taken with him. This confusion persists, leaving it uncertain what Lars actually had on him when he fled.

Lars Seen On Security Footage Running Through Airport, Jumping Fence Into Sunflower Field, Disappearing

Footage from the airport provides one of the few concrete elements of the case. Lars is seen running through the terminal, clearly in haste, without any bags or belongings in his hands—despite entering the airport with both a backpack and duffel bag. The video shows him sprinting at full speed with no obvious signs of being chased and, notably, not looking back to check if anyone is following him. He weaves through the airport, exits the building, and passes within 20 feet of police officers in the parking lot, apparently unnoticed. Afterwards, he heads behind a sand pile and makes his way to the airport's perimeter.

Surveillance captures Lars climbing over a barbed wire fence and disappearing into a tall, full-bloom sunflower field. On the other side of this field lies the A2 Highway and a small forested area, as well as exposed farm fields. Despite these varied terrains, Lars was never seen again after entering the sunflowers, intensifying the mystery of his disappearance.

Doctor at Airport Gave Conflicting Accounts, Causing Uncertainty

Another troubling aspect relates to the airport doctor Lars visited. There are multiple, conflicting accounts from the doctor about what transpired during Lars’ appointment. In one version, an airline employee enters the room; in another, it is an airport employee; in a third, the person is described as a construction worker, likely due to the airport’s ongoing renovations at the ...

The disappearance of Lars Mittank in Bulgaria has sparked ongoing debate and speculation. Multiple theories attempt to explain his sudden and mysterious vanishing, with details from his final days raising both medical and criminal concerns.

Head Injury or Concussion May Have Caused Lars' Erratic Behavior and Paranoia, Leading Him to Flee In a Confused State

Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark consider the strong possibility that a head injury or concussion was the root cause of Lars' incoherent and erratic actions. They note that by all accounts, Lars was content with his life in Germany and had no obvious reason to disappear intentionally or sever contact with his family. Both hosts believe that under normal circumstances, Lars would have simply returned home.

They point out that a worsening undiagnosed brain injury could account for Lars’ increasing paranoia, his anxiety about perceived threats, and his frantic escape at the airport—leaving behind his belongings, running through the terminal, and later disappearing. The behavior fits with what might be expected of someone experiencing cognitive impairment, memory loss, or confusion after head trauma.

Clark suggests that if this theory is correct, Lars might have wandered into the woods and died, his body never found, or perhaps entered a town where he assimilated without recollection of his past. Lars' mother reportedly believes he is still alive but suffering from memory loss, so he doesn’t know how to contact her. This hope keeps her searching for leads years after his disappearance.

Human Trafficking Targeting Theory

Another theory is that Lars may have been the target of human trafficking, which remains an issue in Bulgaria. However, Clark references U.S. State Department data indicating trafficking in Bulgaria typically targets locals, especially Romani people, not foreign tourists. Trafficking that preys on foreigners is rare, since the ensuing publicity would hurt Bulgaria’s tourism industry—a scenario officials are unlikely to tolerate.

There’s also speculation that perhaps Lars was involved in drug smuggling and panicked after realizing he might be caught, though investigators never found drugs among his belongings. Some suggest he might have taken drugs, but his actions do not cleanly align with typical drug-induced behavior.

Lack of Evidence of Drugs or Crime Casts Doubt On Explanation

The hosts stress that no evidence supports these scenarios; there were no drugs found and no criminal activity linked to Lars. While it’s possible someone was following him due to an earlier fight, and he had reason to fear for his safety, none of the usual signs of trafficking or criminal involvement have surfaced. The lack of concrete evidence leaves these theories unproven and the case perplexing.

Lars' Mother Has Pursued Leads and Sightings Over the Years, but He Remains Missing, Leaving the Case a Mystery

Lars' mother, Sandra Mittank, has never stopped searching for her son. Over the years, she has traveled across Europe to investigate potential sightings and leads. Sometimes, these leads have resulted in her finding German expatriates—fifteen in total—including addicts and mentally ill people living in Bulgaria. A few were even reunited with their families, while others declined contact. For each potential sighting, Sandra mobilizes quickly, using social media and online communities to seek more infor ...