Fears are growing for a British woman, Michele Ann Joy Bourda, who has been missing in Greece since Friday, August 1. The 59-year-old was last seen on a sunbed at Ofrynio beach in Kavala, northern Greece, while her husband was reportedly asleep nearby.
According to reports, her husband awoke to find her gone, but her belongings—including her bag, sunglasses, and water shoes—were still on the beach. Her disappearance was reported to authorities, and a large-scale search operation was launched by the Hellenic Coast Guard and local police.
The search, which has now been ongoing for several days, involves multiple patrol boats, recreational craft, and fishing vessels scouring the sea in the Strymonian Gulf. Police are also conducting a search on land, combing through nearby fields and residential areas. A missing persons charity, Lifeline Hellas, has issued a "Silver Alert," a tool often used when a missing person may be vulnerable or in urgent danger, and has stated that "Her life is in danger."
Bourda, who is described as being 5ft 6in tall with shoulder-length blonde hair and hazel eyes, was reportedly wearing a rhinestone-studded two-piece swimsuit, yellow beach shoes, and red sunglasses at the time of her disappearance. While she is a British citizen, she is understood to live with her Greek husband in the Macedonian city of Serres.
The British embassy in Greece has also issued a notice and is providing support to Bourda's family. The circumstances of her disappearance remain a mystery, and all scenarios, including a possible incident at sea or on land, are being investigated. The search is ongoing, with authorities vowing not to give up until there are answers.