Police issue crucial update in mystery case of missing academic
Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, vanished two weeks ago in Essex but now police have revealed they have secured new CCTV footage, as they ask the public to come forward
Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto vanished in Essex(Image: Police)
Police searching for a missing Brazilian academic, who vanished from a UK university, have issued an update.
Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, was reported missing on March 4 and has not been in contact with loved ones since the day before, when she was at Essex University in Colchester. Police, who believe the woman may have taken a boat from a seaside town pontoon, have obtained new CCTV footage of the harbour.
The Brazilian psychologist made a 30-minute bus journey from Wivenhoe to the coastal town of Brightlingsea on the afternoon of March 3, where she possibly unmoored a boat hours later.
Essex police said they have obtained new CCTV of the academic(Image: PA)
In an update on Tuesday, Essex Police said new CCTV footage covering the harbour area shows a number of vessels on the water “as part of regular marine work patterns” between 12am and 6am on March 4.
The force added there is still no clear footage to be able to conclusively say it was Ms Barreto who unmoored one of the boats. Essex Police however said they know she was seen walking alone by the waterfront at 12.16am, after climbing over a nearby fence.
CCTV footage of a person, believed to be Barreto, at Brightlingsea boatyard(Image: PA)
The vessel did not appear to have had its engine started and drifted out before it was found in the water close to Bradwell-on-Sea later that morning, police continued.
Detective Superintendent Anna Granger said: “Today, we’re urging anyone who was working in Brightlingsea harbour or returning from work to the harbour between 12am and 6am to please come forward. Appreciating this will have been in darkness, did you see a lone individual unmooring a boat from a pontoon or appearing to be acting out of character in the area?
The Brazilian woman was reported missing on March 4(Image: Essex Police / SWNS)
“Did you see anything which made you stop and think? Or something you may not have expected to see at that time of night and early morning? We’ve made a promise to Vitoria’s family that we will follow every reasonable lead. So, please, if you were on the water working in this time period, please come forward and speak to us.”
The academic was last seen wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and black trainers. Police, on Monday, revealed they found Ms Barreto’s laptop in Brightlingsea and said multiple potential sightings are being investigated.
Previous footage shared by police of Ms Barreto travelling on the number 87 bus(Image: Family Handout/PA)
Officers previously said they have scoured a “hugely significant area of land and coastline” but so far have not found the 30-year-old.
Anyone who was in the harbour area can submit a report here or call 101 citing incident 622 of 4 March. People are urged to report real time sightings by calling 999.
