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Two people have been held hostage by an armed suspect in a tour bus on a motorway in Germany.
It has been reported that the coach that was targeted is a foreign vehicle and a man has been arrested following the incident.
The Autobahn 9 in Bavaria has been fully closed in both directions between Hilpoltstein and Greding.
Middle Franconia Police have said that two bus drivers were taken hostage by an allegedly armed passenger.
It has been reported there had previously been a dispute on the bus and nordbayern.de reports that a witness claimed the passenger was armed.
It was reported by nordbayern.de that a dispute broke out at around 6pm UK time. It is understood the situation was ongoing for two-and-a-half hours until 8.30pm UK time, when SEK police commandos moved in and three detonations were heard, which were due to “blinding agents” used to distract the man.
Middle Franconia Police said at times, the incident was an “unclear threat situation” and they kept 500 metres from the bus before the man was arrested.
A spokesman for the force said that according to initial findings, nobody was injured. It is still unclear whether the perpetrator really had a weapon with him, although he claimed he did.
According to the police, witnesses gave contradicting information about whether and which weapon the attacker was supposed to have carried with him.
Investigations are continuing, although police say the road will be reopened shortly.
A spokesman for Polizei Mittelfranken tweeted: “The perpetrator could be arrested. One weapon has not yet been found. The bus continues to be searches. Forensics takes place on site. The listing of the Autobahn closure will be issued shortly.”
