A 14-year-old American boy who went missing after leaving a Caribbean Princess cruise ship at a German port has been found safe, according to police and a family member. Aydin Brown had been on the cruise with his grandmother but left the ship after it docked at Rostock-Warnemünde on Thursday morning.
Rostock city police reported that the teenager was located around 10 p.m. on Saturday in Brandenburg, a city approximately 120 miles south of the port. The police statement mentioned that intensive investigations and the analysis of technical data led them to track down Brown, who had been staying near Potsdam, a city adjacent to Brandenburg and just west of Berlin.
A family member confirmed late Saturday that Brown had been found safe. Authorities noted that a 19-year-old, whom Brown had apparently arranged to meet, was with him on Saturday night. Rostock police stated that there was no evidence of a criminal offense.
Earlier on Saturday, state and local police distributed three new photos of Brown as their search continued. Two of the photos, captured from security video, showed an unknown man who appeared to be speaking with Brown. Rostock municipal police had previously expressed a desire to identify this man as part of their search for the missing teen.
Princess Cruises issued a statement late Saturday, confirming that Brown had been reunited with his family and expressing gratitude to German authorities for their swift response and exceptional efforts in locating the teenager. “We are delighted that Aydin Brown has been found safe and sound,” the cruise line said. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to German authorities for their swift response and exceptional efforts in locating Aydin after he disembarked in Warnemunde last Thursday morning.”
Brown’s grandmother had left the ship on Thursday night amid the initial hours of the search for Brown, and the cruise company flew his mother to Germany. According to cruise ship tracker CruiseMapper, the 12-day journey travels the Baltic Sea, with destinations including Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden. The round-trip cruise started in Southampton, England, on June 30 and was scheduled to return on July 12.
Concerns grew over Brown’s whereabouts after family members posted on social media that the teen “may have been lured away” in their “worst nightmare” after he left the ship. Police said investigators picked up the teen’s trail near Potsdam after an intensive investigation and the evaluation of technical data. Brown was found in Brandenburg, about an hour west of Berlin, unharmed and accompanied by a 19-year-old whom he is believed to have met in Rostock.
At this stage in the investigation, police said there were no indications of a crime. Brown’s family expressed their relief on social media, thanking everyone who continued to share updates during the ordeal. “Thank You from the bottom of our hearts!” Amy Kopischke, a cousin of Brown, wrote. “Our Prayers were answered and Aydin was found safe!!”
Brown was reportedly reunited with his grandmother and mother, who had flown to Germany after he went missing, later on Saturday night. The search for Brown had remained active as recently as Saturday, with state and local police sharing three new photos of the teen. Two of the images were taken from security video and showed an unknown man speaking to the boy and walking with him toward Warnemünde Church square at around 7:45 a.m. on Thursday.
Local authorities had expressed a desire to speak with the man or anyone who could identify him. Brown was traveling with his grandmother on the cruise ship before his disappearance. Authorities said the pair got into an argument before Brown left the ship.
Katie Brown, a woman who identified herself as the boy’s mother, described her son’s appearance on Facebook and noted that he is from Texas and was “spotted by camera with an unknown person” at a “train station.” Police were looking for the second person, described as being between the ages of 20 and 25.
The successful resolution of this case has brought relief to Brown’s family and those who were following the story. The collaborative efforts of the German authorities and the cruise line played a crucial role in ensuring the teenager’s safe return.
Source: NBC News, Fox News, PEOPLE
