With a helicopter and police divers, the police in Villingen-Schwenningen (Baden-Württemberg) searched again on Wednesday for clues to the missing father of Magdeburg footballer Kai Brünker.

The 61-year-old was last seen in the city center of Villingen in Baden (Schwarzwald-Baar district) on the evening of December 23. Since then he has disappeared without a trace. Around 100 police officers were involved in the large search operation, which, according to a spokesman, was unsuccessful.

According to the police, the 61-year-old disappeared after visiting a restaurant around 8:30 p.m. On the way home, he said he wanted to visit friends. He would have had to cross a river twice to visit, the spokesman said. Officials had therefore searched along and in the Brigach for clues to the missing person. "First and foremost, we assume an accident, but it is being determined in all directions," said the spokesman.

The police had been searching for the man intensively for the past few days with rescue dogs and a helicopter. An attempt was also made to locate his mobile phone. The missing person's son had asked the population via Instagram for information. "Every clue is important. If anyone noticed anything unusual, please report it," the soccer professional wrote after his father's disappearance. Brünker comes from Villingen and has been playing for 1. FC Magdeburg since 2020.