Police searching for Brazilian academic say buoyancy aid missing from boat
30 year old Vitoria has not contacted her loved ones for 10 days
An academic from Brazil who vanished in Essex may have taken a boat, and an orange buoyancy aid from the vessel appears to be missing, police investigating her disappearance said.
Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, has not been in contact with loved ones since March 3 after she met a friend at Essex University in Colchester.
Essex Police said she was reported missing the following day.
The psychologist made a 30-minute bus journey from Wivenhoe to the coastal town of Brightlingsea on the afternoon of March 3.
The force said a person, believed to be Ms Barreto, is seen on CCTV apparently jumping over a fence into a boatyard just after midnight on March 4.
Police said on Thursday that they were “exploring the possibility of Vitoria having taken a boat from a pontoon in Brightlingsea”.
The force said that as part of this they were “extending our land search area to Bradwell-on-Sea, close to where we know that boat was found on Wednesday morning, March 4”.
“That area was already subject to significant searches from the air last weekend,” an Essex Police spokesperson said.
“Now, there will be significant searches on the ground.
“We’re now able to share that an orange horseshoe-shaped buoyancy aid does appear to be missing from the boat and has not been located.”
Ms Barreto’s mother Gleyz Barreto said in an appeal released through police that her daughter was “probably not feeling herself” and “might be scared”.
“To anyone who sees her, please make her feel welcome, make her feel loved and help her feel calm,” she said.
“We are here for you Vitoria – please come home.
“You have done nothing wrong and you are loved.”
Detective Superintendent Anna Granger said: “The search for Vitoria has now extended to the Bradwell-on-Sea area and there will be policing presence there for the coming days.
“Whilst we know it is a rural area, we also know there will have been walkers on Wednesday morning who may have seen something which is significant to our search.
“If you live in Bradwell, particularly those close to the Bradwell Beach area, please check CCTV and doorbell footage if you have it.
“And please get in touch if you have any information.”
She also appealed to people in the Brightlingsea boating community, particularly in the waterside area, to check their vessels.
She asked that people in the area with CCTV who have not already spoken to police to check footage and get in touch.
“We know Vitoria was walking alone in the Brightlingsea Creek pontoon area after midnight on Wednesday and there is a 20-minute period between 12.16am and 12.36am where there are no sightings of her,” the officer said.
“Even the smallest bit of information could help us plot her further movements.”