Yam Levy
Yam LevyCourtesy of the family

Extensive searches are underway for Yam Levy, 23, who went on a trip to Germany on her own.

Levy sent a friend pictures of herself from Immenstadt, a Bavarian town near the German Alps and Swiss border, last Tuesday. “I'm having fun – everything is OK,” was her last message – which she sent through messaging application Whatsapp. Since that day, she has not returned to her hotel, and has not contacted her family or friends. There was a report that she was seen in the company of some German men.

A large scale search operation for her has been mounted.

In the last three days, Israel's local consul has joined the search, along with Foreign Ministry employees and local police at Immenstadt.

Next month, Levy, who is a resident of the community of Lapid, near Modiin, is scheduled to begin university studies.

Tuvia Livneh, who is directing the rescue mission from Israel, told Channel 2 that there are two directions being investigated; either that Levy may have fallen victim to a criminal act, or that she may have suffered an accident during a trek.

Police and insurance company investigators are also taking part in the search, as is Yam's father.