Police helicopter over Krebsförden: Missing woman brings rail traffic to a standstill!

Police helicopter over Krebsförden: Missing woman brings rail traffic to a standstill!

On Saturday evening, June 29, 2025, there was an extensive police operation in the Schwerin district of Krebsförden, which not only tied up residents, but also caused significant disruption to train traffic. A concerned call at 8:00 p.m. from a woman reported the disappearance of her friend, who was in a psychological state of emergency and had run away towards a wooded and meadow area near train tracks. The police then reacted promptly and used various radio vehicles and a helicopter to find the missing person.

The federal police took the decisive step and closed the railway line between Schwerin and Parchim to avert danger. The ODEG regional train RB13 had to stop and returned to Schwerin due to this situation. Passengers reported that the train came to a stop at the Sieben Seen Center and then drove backwards towards Schwerin. These delays and all the excitement caused a lot of unrest among the fellow passengers.

Persistent efforts by rescue workers

At around 8:50 p.m. the helicopter crew finally achieved success. The missing 31-year-old was discovered, but the location was difficult to access, which made it necessary for the helicopter to land directly in the area. At 9:00 p.m. the woman was finally secured and taken to the Helios Clinic for medical care. The entire operation ended after an intense hour at around 10 p.m. when the railway line was reopened.

But such incidents are not isolated. The challenges police face when dealing with mentally ill people are significant. Since 2019, police in Germany have shockingly shot and killed 37 people in similar crisis situations, prompting authorities to consider better training. Experts emphasize that there is often a lack of financial resources and personnel to adequately prepare police officers for these exceptional emotional situations. Only in three federal states there is mandatory training for dealing with people in psychological crises, notes tagesschau.de.

The challenges in everyday police life

A worrying example is the case of Oisín, who was shot by police in Hamburg in 2019 after his mental health crisis could not be adequately treated. This illustrates the often insufficient preparation of the police for such stressful operations. The claim that a large proportion of the incidents are due to incorrect police action has gained weight among experts. According to criminologist Thomas Feltes, two thirds of the people who died at the hands of the police were in a mental health crisis, which should encourage rethinking.

In view of the increasing number of cases involving mentally ill people, who are perceived by the police as particularly dangerous, serious consideration of training and awareness-raising seems to be urgently required. Programs that deal with mental illnesses and the corresponding care structures are already being developed in collaboration with technical schools in order to specifically prepare police students for such situations. The organization Überblick is committed to improving understanding between the police and those affected by mental illness.

The tragedy that unfolded and the difficulties it brought remind us of how fragile the balance in society is and that we need to be better at dealing with one another.