Michele Ann Joy Bourda, 59, has now been missing for 10 days – here’s everything we know about her disappearance in Greece, including the last reported sightings
Fears are growing for a British woman who vanished 10 days ago on holiday in Greece.
Michele Bourda, 59, from Glasgow, has been missing since she was last spotted on Ofrynio beach in the city of Kavala, Greece on August 1. Her husband, Chris Bourda, 66, fell asleep on a sun lounger and woke to find she had disappeared. Her belongings, including her towel, remained on her sun lounger, but Michele was nowhere to be found – and is yet to be seen since, despite a massive land and sea search by Greek authorities. Here’s what we know about Michele’s disappearance, 10 days on:
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Waiter ‘laughed at husband’ when he reported her missing
Chris continues his desperate search for his wife in Kavala, Greece.
But on the day of her disappearance, he says he was laughed at by a waiter at a beachside restaurant when he asked him if he had seen Michele. He eventually persuaded a shopkeeper to help him and call the police.
Chris, a pharmacist by profession, said: “Unfortunately I fell asleep and when I woke up she wasn’t there… I went back to the waiter to say my wife was missing, have you seen her and he started laughing.”
Husband’s frustration with ‘slow’ police investigation
Chris, has criticised the Greek police for their apparent lack of urgency in searching for his wife – and claims he did not see a single police officer on the beach the day she disappeared.
He said: “The police didn’t do anything on the day. One guest who was there that day said she didn’t see any police and I didn’t see any police that day either, not one single policeman at the beach.
“The only thing I saw was a police car driving up and down the road to the beach. Not getting out of the car, just looking in the direction of the sea.”
He also says police waited days to review vital CCTV footage. Greek authorities, including the Hellenic Police and Coast Guard, say they have conducted extensive searches on land and at sea but found no trace.
Last seen in swimsuit with yellow beach shoes
Michele, 59, is described as being 5ft 6in, of a slim build with blue eyes and shoulder-length hair. She was last seen wearing a rhinestone-embellished two-piece beaded swimsuit, yellow beach shoes and a pair of red horn-rimmed sunglasses.
Woman matching her description ‘seen swimming in deep water’
One witness recalled briefly speaking to a woman matching Michele’s description swimming in deep water out at sea – while another claimed to have seen her walking away from the scene. Neither of these sightings have been confirmed.
No evidence of foul play
Police say that while they have not ruled out any possibilities, there is no sign of foul play in their investigation.
On August 2, the day after she was reported missing to police, Greek charity LifeLine Hellas issued a Silver Alert – typically activated for vulnerable adults – warning the public that Michele’s life may be at risk.
Anyone in Greece with information has been urged to contact the National SOS Line 1065. The British embassy in Athens confirmed they are supporting Michele’s family and assisting local authorities.