Missing Austrian man found dead weeks after disappearing in western Hungary

The body of an Austrian man who disappeared from the western Hungarian town of Mosonmagyaróvár in early December has been found near the village of Lébény, local authorities and rescue organisations confirmed at the weekend.

The man, identified as Stefan Lehnert, was last seen on 5 December when he left a family visit in Mosonmagyaróvár with his dog and drove away in a brown Citroën Picasso bearing Hungarian licence plates. After that, he made no further contact with relatives and did not return home.

According to information released by the Kulcsár Search and Rescue Dog Service Foundation, Lehnert’s body was discovered on Saturday afternoon in an outlying area near Lébény, around 20 kilometres south of Mosonmagyaróvár. He was found by hunters, who immediately alerted the authorities. Despite the rapid response, rescuers were unable to save his life.

Extensive search efforts

Following his disappearance, an extensive search operation was launched involving the police, civil guards, volunteer firefighters, civilians, and several specialist rescue dog units, Telex writes. Among the organisations taking part were the Kárpát 4×4 Search and Rescue Association and the Kulcsár foundation.

Over the course of three weeks, search teams combed large forested areas around Mosonmagyaróvár and the Moson plain. Drones were also deployed on multiple occasions, including on 13 and 20 December, in an attempt to locate either the missing man or his vehicle. Despite these efforts, no trace of Lehnert or his car was found until the weekend discovery.

Family concerns and unanswered questions

Lehnert’s Hungarian wife previously spoke to the press, saying that her husband did not speak Hungarian and was unfamiliar with the country. She said she did not understand why he had left suddenly and without explanation, adding that he had taken neither his phone nor any personal belongings with him.

At one point, the family considered it possible that he had returned to Austria, prompting Austrian authorities to issue a missing persons alert as well. His wife expressed hope that they would be reunited over the Christmas period — hopes that were ultimately not realised.

Reports indicate that Lehnert had been visiting family in Mosonmagyaróvár at the time of his disappearance. He reportedly left the house unexpectedly with his dog and drove off to an unknown destination, after which he gave no sign of life for more than three weeks.

Investigation ongoing

While the circumstances of his death have not yet been officially clarified, authorities have launched an investigation to determine what happened in the days following his disappearance. No further details have been released regarding the condition in which his body was found or whether foul play is suspected.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether Lehnert’s missing vehicle has been located, and further updates are expected as the investigation continues.

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