What to Do If a Loved One Goes Missing While Traveling Abroad

In 2010, Aubrey Sacco, a 23-year-old traveler from Colorado, entered Nepal’s Langtang National Park and never came home.

Aubrey had documented her travels through Sri Lanka and India on a blog hosted by BootsnAll. After she disappeared, her family spent years working with authorities, organizing searches and trying to reconstruct her movements from trail records, messages and reported sightings.

Her blog has remained in our archives ever since.

This guide is partly an attempt to put the information families need in one place, before they are forced to learn the process during the worst week of their lives.

A period of silence does not necessarily mean a traveler is missing. Phones die. Plans change. Remote routes may have no service for days.

But when someone misses an agreed check-in, flight, accommodation booking or meeting, especially in remote terrain, it is reasonable to begin checking immediately.

If you are worried right now

Start here:

1. Try every normal way of reaching the traveler. Call, text and message them through the apps they use. Contact anyone traveling with them.
2. Call their last confirmed accommodation, tour operator or local contact. Ask when the person was last seen and whether they checked out, left luggage behind or mentioned a change of plans.
3. Contact police in the traveler’s last confirmed location. The investigation and any physical search will usually begin with authorities in the country where the person disappeared.
4. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate for the traveler’s country of citizenship. For U.S. citizens, contact the relevant U.S. embassy or consulate. If you cannot reach it, call the State Department’s Office of Overseas Citizens Services:

• From the United States or Canada: 1-888-407-4747
• From elsewhere: +1-202-501-4444

1. Start a written timeline. Record every message, sighting, transaction, booking and phone call, including dates, times, time zones and the name of the person who gave you the information.
2. Contact police where you live. They may be able to document the case, coordinate with foreign authorities and contact your country’s Interpol National Central Bureau if an international notice is appropriate.

You generally do not need to wait 24 hours before raising a credible safety concern. Procedures differ by country, but if the circumstances seem dangerous or seriously out of character, begin making calls now.

The U.S. State Department advises families who believe a U.S. citizen abroad may be in danger to contact police in the area where the traveler was staying, as well as the nearest embassy or consulate.

When silence becomes concerning

Start with the traveler’s actual plan rather than an arbitrary number of hours or days.

A lack of contact may be normal if the person said they would be trekking, sailing, camping or traveling through an area without reliable service. It becomes more concerning when they break a specific plan or established pattern.

Look for signs such as:

• They missed a check-in they had specifically agreed to make.
• They failed to board a flight or arrive at a booked accommodation.
• A hotel, hostel, guide or companion expected them and cannot locate them.
• They were traveling alone in remote or hazardous terrain.
• Severe weather, natural disaster, civil unrest or another local emergency has occurred.
• They have a medical condition or depend on medication.
• Their phone, bank activity and messaging accounts all appear to have stopped at roughly the same time.
• Their last message suggested fear, injury, confusion or an unexpected change of plans.
• Their belongings were left somewhere they would not normally abandon them.

One serious warning sign can be enough to act. A missed safety check-in after a solo hike may be more urgent than several days of silence from someone who had warned that they would be off-grid.

Build one reliable timeline

During the first hours, families often receive fragments of information from different people in different time zones. Put everything into one shared document.

Include:

• The last confirmed sighting
• The last message, call or video chat
• The last known location
• Flights, buses, trains and other transportation
• Accommodation bookings
• Tour, trekking or activity reservations
• Bank or card activity you are legally able to view
• Phone or messaging activity visible through shared accounts
• The names and contact information of companions
• Every call made to police, consular officials, insurers and travel companies

Separate confirmed facts from unverified reports.

For example:

Confirmed: Hostel receptionist saw Maya leave at approximately 7:30 a.m. on July 12.

is different from:

Unconfirmed: Another guest thinks Maya mentioned taking a bus north.

Authorities will repeatedly ask for the same information. A clear timeline prevents details from changing as they are passed from person to person.

Information authorities may ask for

Gather as much of the following as you can:

• Full legal name
• Date and place of birth
• Nationality
• Passport number and a copy of the passport photo page, if available
• A recent, clear photograph
• Height, build, hair color and identifying marks
• Clothing and equipment last known to be with them
• Phone number and mobile carrier
• Email address and commonly used messaging accounts
• Medical conditions and required medication
• Travel-insurance company and policy number
• Full itinerary
• Flight and transportation details
• Accommodation names and booking numbers
• Tour operator, guide or trekking-agency details
• Names and contact information for travel companions
• Emergency contacts
• Vehicle details, if relevant

Do not delay a report because some of this information is missing. Send what you have and add details as you find them.

Who to contact, and what each can do

Local police

Contact police in the traveler’s last confirmed location.

They are the authorities able to open a local investigation, interview witnesses, check known locations and coordinate a physical search. The response will vary by country, local law, available resources and the circumstances of the disappearance.

Ask for:

• A report or case number
• The name and contact details of the investigating officer
• Instructions for submitting photographs and documents
• The best place to send new information
• Guidance on whether public appeals would help or hinder the investigation

If there is a language barrier, ask the embassy, hotel, tour operator or a trusted local contact for help finding an interpreter. An embassy may provide lists of local translators or attorneys, but it will not normally act as your interpreter.

Embassy or consulate

A consular office does not replace local police and cannot conduct its own search.

For a missing U.S. citizen, consular officials may:

• Work with local authorities
• Try to locate the traveler and pass along a family message
• Check reports of hospitalization or arrest
• Provide contact information for local police, attorneys and other services
• Help explain local procedures
• Stay in contact with the family during the case

If officials locate an adult traveler, privacy law may restrict what they can tell the family without that person’s consent. In some situations, the family may only be told that the person has been located or is safe.

For citizens of other countries, contact the traveler’s foreign ministry and the nearest embassy or consulate representing that country.

Police in your home country

Also make a report to police where you live.

Their ability to investigate events abroad may be limited, but they may document the disappearance, preserve information and coordinate with national or international law-enforcement channels.

An Interpol Yellow Notice is an international police alert used to help locate missing people. Families cannot request one directly. Police in an Interpol member country submit a request through their National Central Bureau when the circumstances warrant it. A local police report does not guarantee that a notice will be issued.

Tour operators, trekking agencies and park authorities

For remote trips, these may be among the most important early contacts.

Ask them to confirm:

• The planned route
• Permit or registration details
• Checkpoint entries
• The name of the guide or group
• The last confirmed contact
• Expected arrival dates
• Possible alternate routes
• Weather and trail conditions
• Local search-and-rescue procedures

Do not assume someone else has contacted them. Make the call, document the answer and pass confirmed information to the lead investigator.

Airline and transportation companies

An airline, railway or bus company may be able to preserve booking information or confirm it directly to police. Privacy rules may prevent the company from releasing passenger information to a family member.

Give booking references and itinerary details to the investigating officer and ask whether the officer will make the request.

Travel insurer

Call the insurer’s emergency-assistance number and open a case.

Ask:

• Whether the policy includes search-and-rescue assistance
• Whether the insurer must approve expenses in advance
• What reports and documentation are required
• Whether medical evacuation is covered only after the traveler is found
• Whether family travel or accommodation is covered
• Whether the policy includes crisis-response or translation services

Do not authorize a costly private search based only on the assumption that insurance will reimburse it. Ask for the answer in writing. Where search-and-rescue benefits exist, coverage commonly caps between $10,000 and $50,000 and requires an official missing-person report to be on file before it pays.

What you can check from home

There are useful things a family can do without interfering with the investigation.

Contact the last known accommodation

Ask:

• When was the traveler last seen?
• Did they check out?
• Did they leave luggage or identification behind?
• Did they mention a destination?
• Did they book transportation or an activity?
• Were they with anyone?
• Does the property have security footage that should be preserved?

The staff may not be able to release private records directly to you, but they can preserve information for police.

Contact known companions

Ask each person separately what they remember. Avoid telling them what another witness said before they give their own account.

Record exact language where possible rather than summarizing from memory.

Preserve the digital trail

Save screenshots and exports of information you can already access lawfully, including:

• Messages
• Shared-location history
• Joint financial accounts
• Shared travel calendars
• Booking confirmations
• Photos with dates or locations
• Social-media posts
• Emails from guides or accommodations

Do not guess passwords, impersonate the traveler or attempt to break into an account.

Technology companies may respond to emergency disclosure requests from government agencies when a person is believed to be in serious physical danger. Those requests generally need to come through law enforcement rather than directly from the family.

Continue sending occasional texts and messages. A new delivery or read receipt may provide a useful timestamp, although it does not necessarily establish who has the device.

Missing in remote terrain

A disappearance during a trek, climb, paddle, overland route or other remote trip needs a different response from a missed check-in in a large city.

Contact:

• Local police
• Park or protected-area authorities
• The guide or trekking agency
• Permit offices
• Lodges, refuges or checkpoints on the route
• Local search-and-rescue organizations
• The traveler’s insurer
• The appropriate embassy or consulate

Provide the intended route, last confirmed position, equipment carried, level of experience, physical condition and any likely alternate routes.

Weather, exposure, daylight and terrain can make the first hours important. If someone misses an agreed safety deadline in a remote area, do not assume they simply decided to stay out longer.

The lesson from Aubrey Sacco’s disappearance

Aubrey entered Langtang National Park alone in April 2010. Her family’s search had to rely heavily on checkpoint information, reported sightings and an incomplete understanding of the route she might have taken.

Her case shows why a general statement such as “I’m going trekking in Nepal” is not a usable emergency plan.

A traveler heading into remote terrain should leave:

• The intended route
• Entry and exit points
• Permit information
• Guide or agency details
• Accommodation or lodge plans
• A firm check-in deadline
• Instructions for whom to call if that deadline is missed

The person at home should understand that “contact me on the 14th” means something different from “I’ll probably message sometime next week.”

Should you post publicly?

Publicity can find witnesses and create pressure when a case is not receiving attention. It can also produce false sightings, harassment, conspiracy theories and demands for money.

Before launching a public campaign, ask the lead investigator or consular contact whether publicity is likely to help.

When a public appeal is appropriate:

• Use one clear and recent photograph.
• Use the traveler’s full name and age.
• State the exact last confirmed date and location.
• Distinguish confirmed facts from speculation.
• Provide one official phone number or tip channel.
• Translate the appeal into the local language.
• Prioritize local media and local community groups in the search area.
• Update or remove inaccurate posts quickly.
• Avoid publishing passport numbers, account details or sensitive medical information.

Do not create multiple competing pages and tip lines. One verified source is easier for witnesses, journalists and police to use.

Be prepared for scams and false information

Public missing-person cases attract people who claim to have information, photographs, psychic insight or access to officials.

Do not send money in response to an unsolicited tip.

Ask anyone with information to report it through the official police contact. Preserve the message, account name, phone number and payment request, then pass them to investigators.

The State Department advises people not to send money to an unknown person abroad and provides a verification route through Overseas Citizens Services when a purported emergency involving a U.S. citizen may be a scam.

Hiring a private investigator or search team

In some countries, families hire local attorneys, investigators, guides, aircraft or search teams. These services can be useful, but they can also consume money quickly without producing reliable information. Helicopter search time alone commonly runs $1,000 to $7,000 per hour, and ground teams in trekking regions cost hundreds of dollars per day.

Before hiring anyone, ask for:

• Full legal name and business registration
• Relevant licenses
• Local references
• Experience in the specific region
• A written scope of work
• Daily rates and expense limits
• Reporting requirements
• Proof of insurance
• Confirmation that local authorities permit the proposed work
• A clear explanation of how information will be shared with police

Coordinate private activity with the official investigation. An unapproved search may put volunteers at risk, damage evidence or duplicate work already underway.

Do not spend the family’s entire budget during the first week. A case that lasts months will require money for travel, legal advice, translation, accommodation, records and continued investigation.

When the search continues

If the person remains missing, assign roles within the family or support group.

One person should manage communication with police and consular officials. Another can maintain the timeline and documents. Another can handle media and public updates. Someone should keep track of expenses and insurance correspondence.

Keep a regular schedule for updates, even when there is no new information. This reduces the risk that different officials or family members begin operating from different versions of the case.

Families of British nationals can also contact LBT Global (missingabroad.org), the charity founded after Lucie Blackman disappeared in Tokyo in 2000. It has run a dedicated Missing Abroad casework program since 2006, works alongside the FCDO and police, and helps with practical matters such as media liaison and records requests. It assists families of other nationalities where it can. There is no direct U.S. equivalent; American families typically assemble similar support from consular caseworkers, congressional constituent-services offices and volunteers.

Consider speaking with a lawyer in the traveler’s home jurisdiction about:

• Rent or mortgage payments
• Employment
• Insurance
• Bank and credit accounts
• Taxes
• Dependent care
• Powers of attorney
• Procedures for managing the affairs of a missing adult

The available legal options differ by jurisdiction and may depend on how long the person has been missing.

For U.S. families having difficulty navigating the federal response, a congressional representative or senator’s constituent-services office may be able to request a status update from the State Department or help identify the responsible federal office. It cannot direct foreign police or guarantee that the case will be escalated.

Before the next trip

The most useful missing-traveler plan is made before anyone leaves.

Leave a real itinerary

Give a trusted person:

• Flights and transportation
• Accommodation details
• Tour operators and guides
• Remote routes and permits
• Insurance information
• A copy of the passport photo page
• A recent photograph
• Emergency contacts
• Expected periods without service

Update that person when plans change.

For longer multi-country trips, our round-the-world planning guides treat itinerary and check-in planning as part of the route work rather than an afterthought.

Agree on check-in deadlines

Do not rely on “I’ll message when I can.”

Use clear language:

I expect to be out of service from August 10 through August 13. If you have not heard from me by 6 p.m. local time on August 14, call the trekking agency and the park office.

A good deadline allows for normal travel delays without leaving the person at home unsure when to act.

Register the trip

U.S. citizens can enroll in the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP. It provides destination alerts and can help a U.S. embassy or consulate contact the traveler or an emergency contact during a crisis.

Travelers from other countries should check whether their foreign ministry offers a similar registration service.

Carry appropriate emergency communication

Anyone traveling beyond reliable mobile coverage should consider a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon appropriate to the activity and region.

The device is useful only if:

• It is activated.
• The subscription is current.
• The traveler knows how to use it.
• Emergency contacts understand what an alert means.
• It is carried on the person rather than left in a bag or vehicle.

Test it before departure.

Read the insurance policy

Medical evacuation, search and rescue, trip interruption and repatriation are different benefits.

Check:

• Geographic exclusions
• Altitude limits
• Excluded activities
• Requirements for guides or permits
• Search-and-rescue limits
• Advance-approval requirements
• Emergency phone numbers
• Documentation requirements

Save the policy somewhere a person at home can access it.

A final word from BootsnAll

Most unexpected communication gaps have an ordinary explanation. A dead phone, a missed connection or an unannounced change of plans is far more common than a disappearance.

But families should not be forced to choose between panicking immediately and waiting for an imaginary 24-hour rule.

Start with the plan the traveler actually made. Check the last confirmed location. Contact the people who were expecting them. If the silence represents a serious break from that plan, call local police and consular services and begin documenting what you know.

Aubrey Sacco’s family did not have a complete route, reliable phone data or a simple organization capable of coordinating everything that followed. Their experience is one reason we believe travelers heading into remote places should leave more than a destination name behind.

Leave the route. Set the deadline. Make sure the person at home knows what to do when the deadline passes.

Twenty minutes of preparation before a trip can spare a family from losing critical hours trying to work out where to begin.

Important note

This guide provides general information, not legal advice or country-specific emergency instructions. Procedures and available services differ by location. During an active emergency, follow the direction of local authorities and the relevant embassy or consulate.