Two Hikers Vanish in Russia's Karachay-Cherkessia Mountains

A routine hiking trip turned into a search-and-rescue operation this week after two women from Astrakhan went missing in the rugged mountains of Karachay-Cherkessia. The tourists, whose names haven't been released, disappeared on the final day of their trek, according to the Telegram channel Shot.

The pair had planned to reach a settlement and check in with their families, but they never showed up. Concerned relatives alerted emergency services after failing to make contact. Authorities confirmed the hikers had registered their route with the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS), a standard safety measure in the region.

Now, a team of 15 rescuers is scouring the area. One group is searching near the village of Krasny Karachay and heading toward the Mukhu Pass, while a second team is covering the Arkhyz Saddle Pass and the Marukh Gorge. Officials describe both routes as demanding, even for experienced hikers, due to steep elevation changes, unpredictable weather, and spotty cell service.

This isn't the first such incident in Russia this year. In April, a group of hikers went missing in Kamchatka's Nalychevo Valley. Rescuers eventually found them, but not everyone survived.