Police are currently looking into the case of a psychologist who went missing after boarding a bus and now suspect she may have taken a boat from an Essex boatyard. Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, has not been in touch with her family since March 3 when she met a friend at Essex University in Colchester, leading to her being reported missing the following day.

The psychologist, originally from Brazil, took a bus from Wivenhoe to Brightlingsea on March 3. Surveillance footage later captured a person, possibly Barreto, jumping a fence into a nearby boatyard after midnight on March 4. Essex Police mentioned that a boat was reported missing from Brightlingsea, later found adrift near Bradwell-on-Sea and returned.

The discovery of Barreto’s white shoulder bag near where the boat was unmoored has intensified the focus of the investigation. Authorities are greatly concerned about her disappearance, which occurred during her visit to the UK to explore pursuing a doctorate while engaging in academic activities at the University of Essex.

Officials are examining the possibility that the person who unmoored the boat may have been Barreto, although no clear footage of this individual exists. Search efforts have centered on the boat’s route from Brightlingsea to Bradwell. Barreto was last seen wearing a dark coat, blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans, and black trainers.

Detective Superintendent Anna Granger mentioned that extensive searches have been conducted along the coastline, with further searches planned. Barreto’s friend, Liliane Silva, expressed concern about her well-being and the unusual behavior she exhibited before disappearing. Barreto’s loved ones, including her boyfriend and mother, have joined the search efforts.

Authorities have urged anyone with information to contact them immediately, referencing incident number 622 of March 4.