A Brazilian academic who went missing about a week ago while visiting the UK may have taken a boat from an Essex boatyard, police have said.
The last known sighting of Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, was on CCTV at the site in Brightlingsea just after midnight on Wednesday 4 March.
Police said officers were “aware of a boat having been taken from its mooring” in the early hours of that day.
The CCTV footage of Ms Barreto was at 12.16am.
Essex Police said: “Between 12.16am and 12.36am, when we know the boat was unmoored, Vitoria is not seen on CCTV and at this stage there is no clear and identifiable footage of the person who unmoored the boat.
“However, we are exploring the possibility that it is Vitoria.
“The boat’s route from Brightlingsea to where it was found close to Bradwell has consistently informed the searches which have been carried out.”
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Police also said the discovery of Ms Barreto’s bag off Copperas Road on Monday, near to where the vessel was unmoored, “has meant that our focus on this line of inquiry has clearly intensified”.
Officers said CCTV of what appears to be a person jumping over a fence into the boatyard, close to where the bag was discovered, is believed to be Ms Barreto.
The psychologist has not been in contact with loved ones since Tuesday 3 March when she met a friend at Essex University.
That afternoon, she then made a 30-minute bus journey from Wivenhoe to Brightlingsea.
Once she got off the bus, she was seen on doorbell footage in the Hurst Green area shortly after 2.30pm.
Essex Police said she was wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and black trainers.
The force said she was reported missing the following day by the friend.
Police have expanded their search from Brightlingsea, to the River Blackwater, the Dengie peninsula and River Crouch coastlines and to Mersea Island. The operation will continue on Thursday.
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Detective Superintendent Anna Granger said officers have covered a “hugely significant area of land and coastline”.
“Today (Wednesday), with the help of air support services, our marine unit and specialist search officers, the coastline along the River Blackwater, Dengie peninsula and River Crouch were searched, along with 2.5km on the southern coast of Mersea Island,” she said.
“I would also urge anyone with CCTV of the harbour area that we are not already aware of to please check it and let us know.
“Equally, to the owners of boats moored in Brightlingsea, please check your vessels. Is there anything there that shouldn’t be there. Is there anything to lead you to believe someone has been on your boat?”
