「終末」待ち９年地下生活か　オランダで親子７人発見

【ハーグＡＦＰ＝時事】オランダ北部で、人里離れた農家の地下室に隠れて暮らしていた男性とその成人の子ども6人が、警察により発見された。当局が15日、明らかにした。メディア報道によると、親子は9年間にわたって地下で「終末」を待ち続けていたという。（写真はオランダ北部ドレンテ州ライナーボルトで、親子7人が何年にもわたり地下生活を送っていた農家を捉えた空撮写真）
　警察は北部ドレンテ州の村ライナーボルト近郊で、父親とみられる男性とその１８～２５歳の子ども６人を発見した。
　地元メディアの報道によると、一家発見のきっかけは、息子のうちの１人が混乱した状態で近所のパブを訪れ、ビールを５杯飲んだ後、過去９年間にわたり家の外に出たことがなかったと告白して助けを求めたことだった。警察は現場で、捜査への協力を拒否したとして５８歳の男を拘束したが、この男は父親ではなかった。
　一家発見を最初に報じた地元テレビ局ＲＴＶドレンテによれば、親子は「『終末』を待ちながら数年間にわたって地下で暮らしていた」という。一家の中には「ほかに人々が存在することをまったく知らなかった」人もいたとされる。
　同局によると、一家は外界とまったく接触せず、菜園とヤギ１匹を持ち完全に自給自足の生活を送っていた。また「父親は数年前に脳卒中を起こし、ベッドに横たわっていた。妻がいる様子はなかった」という。近所の人々は同局に対し、家族の存在は把握しておらず、農家に住んでいたのは男性１人のみだと思っていたと語っている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2019/10/16-09:05）

Dutch police found a father and six adult children hidden in the basement of a remote farmhouse where they had reportedly spent years waiting for the end of time, officials said Tuesday.
They discovered a man, believed to be the father of the family, and his children aged between 18 and 25 near the village of Ruinerwold in the northern province of Drenthe.
Local media said the family were found after one of the sons went to a nearby pub in a confused state, drank five beers and then asked for help, saying he had not been outside for nine years.
Police arrested a 58-year-old man at the scene for failing to cooperate with the investigation, but he was not the father.
I have never come across anything like this before, local mayor Roger de Groot told a press conference.
Police investigated after receiving a tip-off from somebody who was concerned about the people's living conditions and discovered the adults, de Groot said.
They lived an isolated lifestyle, he said, adding that they had been living on the homestead for the past nine years and several of the children had not been taken up in the birthing register or officially registrated.
Many questions were unanswered and police are investigating all scenarios, the mayor added.
The family meanwhile had been taken to a nearby holiday park while the investigation continued, reports said.
- 'Living in a basement' -
Local news station RTV Drenthe, which first reported the story, said the family have been living in a basement for years, waiting for the 'end of times'.
Some of those freed had no idea that other people existed, the station added.
Police were alerted after a man of around 25, believed to be the family's oldest son, walked into a village bar on Sunday evening.
The dishevelled man, unwashed and wearing old clothes said he has not been 'outside' for the past nine years, bar owner Chris Westerbeek told RTV Drenthe.
He said he'd never been to school and seemed very confused. He spoke in a childish way, said Westerbeek.
The man told Westerbeek he ran away from home and urgently needed help, so I phoned the police.
Upon investigation police discovered a hidden staircase behind a cupboard leading to a cellar where a man said to be the family's father and five others, believed to be his children, were hiding.
Aerial photos showed a remote farmhouse surrounded by fields.
The family had no contact with the outside world and were completely self-reliant with a vegetable garden and a goat, RTV Drenthe said.
The father had a stroke a few years ago and was lying in bed. There was no sign of his wife, RTV Drenthe reported.
Neighbours told the station they did not know the family and they only knew that one man lived on the premises.
Police declined to give further details when contacted by AFP.
All scenarios are being investigated. At this point we cannot give further information, local police said on Twitter.