News
German Embassy seeks help to trace missing tourist
Dietmar Bopp
The German embassy in Colombo has sought the assistance of local authorities to trace a German tourist reported missing since November last year, after being last seen at a guest house in Negombo, police said.
The embassy sought help after the tourist’s son, who arrived in Colombo earlier this month, appealed to the embassy, while launching his own search.
The missing tourist, Dietmar Bopp 51, is a retired insurance agent from Frankfurt, who had been visiting Sri Lanka since 2008.
On August 7, 2016, he had arrived here on a vacation and checked into the Sunshine guesthouse in Negombo.
In the early hours of November 14, Mr Bopp had called over at the Negombo police station and the police officer on duty had provided him with pen and paper to write down his complaint, as the policeman could not understand English.
However, Mr Bopp, without writing his complaint, had left the police station without his passport, and gone missing since then.
His son Tobias Bopp, 26, told the Sunday Times he has visited many places in search of his father, but to no avail.
His son
Jr. Bopp said his father, who has been visiting Sri Lanka since 2008, was a regular guest at Sunshine guesthouse. On November 11, last year, he had withdrawn Rs 70,000 from a private bank, the son said.
Sunshine guest house owner W.A.J.K. Fernando said in his last four visits Dietmar Bopp had stayed in his guest house.
“On November 14 last year, he left the guest house early morning and never returned. So I made some inquiries. Finally, I lodged a complaint with the Negombo police,” he said.
Police said they also made several attempts to trace him but, had no information about his whereabouts.