Daring Climb Halted: Nighttime Intruders Thwarted at Cologne Cathedral

Five Frenchmen and a Belgian woman were detained by German police for attempting to climb Cologne's renowned cathedral. Detected by the church's surveillance, the group was apprehended with climbing gear. Their identities remain confidential due to privacy laws. The cathedral remains a vital tourist and pilgrimage site.

In Cologne, German police detained five Frenchmen and a Belgian woman who attempted a daring climb of the city's iconic cathedral on Sunday night. The climbers were identified by the church's private security team using surveillance cameras.

Authorities decked in riot gear quickly surrounded the famed structure, while a helicopter kept watch from above, ultimately apprehending the group in the cathedral's stairwell. The detained individuals, ranging from 18 to 27 years old, included a 26-year-old woman, but their identities have not been disclosed in accordance with German privacy laws.

A thorough search led to the confiscation of a camera, cellphone, and lock pick, while damaged doors and rucksacks filled with climbing equipment were also discovered. The Cologne Cathedral, a significant site for tourism and Catholic pilgrimage, also stands as Germany's most renowned spiritual landmark.

(With inputs from agencies.)