Search for missing men in German mine tunnel halted; Possibly Dutch YouTubers
German authorities halted the search for two men who illegally entered the historic Stock- und Scherenberger Erbstollen mine tunnel and disappeared without a trace. According to the German newspaper Bild, the individuals may be Dutch YouTubers.
Surveillance footage from the site shows the pair sneaking onto the property early Saturday morning. At 12:30 a.m., they were seen carrying backpacks and supplies before breaking open a metal gate leading into the tunnel, which was locked outside of visitor hours.
A security alert notified mine staff, who then contacted the police at 9:30 a.m. The men have not been seen since.
Ronald Mayer, a legal expert who also serves as a volunteer heritage conservation officer, warned that the tunnel poses serious risks.
“This is dangerous. As long as they stay on the one-kilometer-long visitor path, they are safe,” Mayer told Bild. “But if they left the main path, there is a serious oxygen problem. The worst-case scenario is that they wandered into one of the cross passages. That would put them in life-threatening danger.”
Authorities have not received any missing person reports, and it remains unclear whether the men have exited the mine.
Emergency crews, including police and firefighters, searched the tunnel using oxygen sensors to detect breathable air.
“The devices measure the oxygen levels in the air,” Mayer explained. “The team carried them for their own protection. The water inside the tunnel is constantly moving, which could indicate that the two men are still inside.” After four hours of searching, officials found no trace of the men.
A police spokesperson told Bild, “We were inside, we checked all cross passages. We could not find anyone. That’s why we will now seal the site again. At this point, we do not believe there are still people in the mine. In the worst case, they will show up at the locked gate on Sunday morning, knocking.”
