Indian Student Aryan Chandel Feared Drowned in Germany's Lake Starnberg

In an unfortunate incident, a 23-year-old student from Himachal Pradesh went missing in Germany after visiting Lake Starnberg on June 15.
Aryan Chandel, a student at the EU Business School in Munich, last spoke to his father around 1:30 pm on Father’s Day. Later that day, he went swimming in the lake and has not been seen since.

His father, Vichitra Singh Chandel, was informed about the situation around 10 pm the same evening. He was told Aryan had gone for a swim and is feared to have drowned.

Aryan’s family has sought help from the Himachal Pradesh government and the Ministry of External Affairs to trace the young student.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Aryan’s relative Nikhil Saini wrote: “Aryan Chandel from Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh went missing in Germany on June 15 after visiting a lake with friends. That evening, his family was told he had drowned, but he was a strong swimmer, and they find it hard to believe. Despite search ops, he’s still missing.”

Aryan’s brother, Pankaj Chandel, has also appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to coordinate with German authorities in the search efforts.

Responding to the issue, the Indian Consulate in Munich confirmed the development and assured the family that they are in close touch with the German authorities investigating the matter.

“We are also keeping the family updated regarding developments in the investigation. All possible help will be extended by the Consulate,” read a post from the official handle of the Indian Embassy in Munich.

Speaking to the media, Aryan’s family appealed to the Himachal Pradesh government and Indian authorities to intensify the search with full transparency and support.

“We are shattered and living in unbearable uncertainty. But we refuse to give up on Aryan — we believe he can still be found. He is not just a name — he is a son, a brother, a nephew — our everything. We just want our son back as soon as possible,” said the family.

According to reports, German authorities have launched an extensive search operation across the 21-kilometre-long Lake Starnberg. Divers, rescue teams, local police, and sniffer dogs have joined the search efforts. Aryan’s friends are also assisting by combing nearby forest areas.

It is also learned that Aryan’s father has approached Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani, seeking all possible help in obtaining updates about his son.