Search for Missing 18-Year-Old Hanna in Uddevalla Intensifies Amid Heavy Snowfall

Amid heavy snowfall in Uddevalla, Sweden, police and volunteers intensify search efforts for missing 18-year-old Hanna, employing diggers, drones, and dogs, while investigating a potential crime without current evidence of foul play.

    Key details

  • • Search for Hanna continues despite heavy snow and challenging conditions.
  • • Police have called in a digger and deployed drones and search dogs in the effort.
  • • Several items believed to belong to Hanna were found, prompting a murder investigation without evidence of crime.
  • • Over 100 volunteers participate, highlighting strong community involvement.

The ongoing search for 18-year-old Hanna, who has been missing since January 6 in Uddevalla, Sweden, has intensified despite challenging conditions posed by heavy snowfall and cold weather. Police and over 100 volunteers have been scouring a large outdoor area covered in deep snow, making the operation arduous and slow. To aid the search, authorities have deployed drones, search dogs, snowmobiles, and a digger to comb through the terrain.

Earlier this week, several items of clothing believed to belong to Hanna were found in a wooded area south of Uddevalla. This discovery prompted the police to initiate a murder investigation on January 8, aiming to broaden their powers during the inquiry. However, officials have emphasized that, so far, no evidence indicates foul play or that a crime has taken place. Police commander Martin Öhman noted that despite the exhaustive night and morning efforts, no new significant findings have emerged.

Authorities have also expanded their investigation beyond the immediate area to other parts of Sweden, securing evidence and interviewing potential witnesses in the ongoing effort to find Hanna. Hanna was last seen wearing jeans and a brown sweater in central Uddevalla and stands 166 centimeters tall.

Community support has been strong, with many volunteers participating in the search operations. Operations leader Hasse Lagervall praised their commitment, underscoring the willingness of the Uddevalla community to assist in times of crisis.

Despite the tough search conditions caused by deep snow and the vast search area, police and volunteers remain steadfast in their efforts, urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the authorities.

This article was translated and synthesized from Swedish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.

Source comparison

Involvement of military

Sources disagree on whether military personnel are involved in the search.

aftonbladet.se

"Police and volunteers have been combing through a large outdoor area."

expressen.se

"The police and military, along with volunteer organizations are actively involved in the search."

Why this matters: One source states that the military is involved in the search, while the other does not mention military participation. This affects the understanding of the scale and resources being utilized in the search efforts.

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