German Alps rescue: Two hikers safe after night search at Rappenseehütte and Kemptner Hütte

On the night of 30 June, the mountain rescue service in Oberstdorf responded to a report that two hikers were missing in the area of the Rappenseehütte and the historic Kemptner Hütte. The search involved the Alpine Einsatzgruppe, a police helicopter and additional rescue resources. After several hours without contact and worsening weather, the operation initially yielded no results. By the morning of 1 July, rescuers established contact with the hikers, who were found in good health. They had not begun their planned descent and spent the night at the hut, unable to reach relatives due to poor mobile reception.

The incident was reported alongside a separate, earlier fatal search: a hut employee who disappeared while attempting a route over the Biberkopf was later found dead.

The successful rescue concludes the multi‑hour operation and highlights the challenges of mountain communication and weather conditions.