I don't agree
Nobody was looking for the Germans when their van was found, it was found while a ranger in a helicopter was looking for drug labs. They had left no itinerary and there was no search for them prior to discovery of their van. The hiker's car was found because they were being searched for. Someone they knew reported them as overdue because they didn't check in. This is why you leave an itinerary with check in times with someone that's not along for the ride. It doesn't have to be a down-to-the-minute schedule, but even something simple like "I'm here now, I'm going to be exploring in the area of XYZ over the next three days" is enough to get the ball rolling in the area that you're supposed to be.
Thank you for posting this. I keep seeing replies glossing over this nugget. From what I have see with the Germans, they left zero indication that this was their plan. Sure, communication was not as easy in the 90s as it is now. GPS was a very expensive luxury and email was something that most of us had not heard of yet. But there were ways of contacting people and at least give a general idea.
This couple, on the other hand, sounded like did some correct things and established an itinerary and perhaps even told someone(s). I feel, and obviously others disagree, that once they left their car, their plan failed. What bothers me is that this couple sounded very intelligent but made a dumb decision. And yes it is very easy to say that from the comfort of my home.
Back to leaving an itinerary, here is how it works in my house: When every I or The Wife leaves the house, we let the other know where we are going. Coffee run? Check! Grocery store? Check! Multi day adventure into the woods? CHECK! And if she or I decides to change plans, such as adding another store, or different area of town, or different Ranger District, we let the other know as soon as possible. Funny enough, she was not digging this when we got together tons of years ago. She sort of felt it was a control thing. But I explained to her that I did not give a crud where she is going, as long as I know where she is at and vice versa. It's safety and in this modern time, it's easy.
This detracts a little from this couple, but I'm a long time communications guy. Had my first radio as a kid in the 80s. Received my first ham radio and license in 1992. Was the go to comm guy in my small platoon, even though I was not a comm MOS. I now am the go-to comm guy around my area for those who know. For me, it really has little to do with the radios and all the knobs and buttons (although those are cool!) but more about communication. None of us are mind readers. It is, or at least should be, central to every plan to have a communication budget, both in terms of money and activity. Even if you are two guys in the woods in two vehicles, you can work out a comm plan with each other with nothing more than hand and arm signals or blinkers or horns. We have to talk to someone to exchange idea and convey information. Back on point, this couple at least up until they left their car, did so. The Germans did not.
And I mean absolutely zero disrespect to man who died and the injured lady. It's a terrible situation for both and their families. But I think in this instance, this shows how a well understood device like an inReach or SPOTx would have really been useful. At the point of their car being basically dead, it was not an "emergency" but more of a Up the Creek without a Paddle kind of thing. No need to activate SAR. Just get ahold of a few people and be bored for a while.
I know I keep beating the horse about staying with the car and to an extent, I will back off of it just a little. I live in East Tennessee. While if my Jeep were jammed up in the mountains here, I would be able to simply walk back down the FS road. Our roads in the NFs are fairly easy. So, yeah, it would be easy to walk for a few hours and be back on pavement. But I think, based on my limited experience in the desert, that this just would have been a terrible idea. I've only been Out West a hand full of times and everything seems remote, steep, and has a higher potential for danger. I'm sticking with the car.
