It was meant to be another lazy afternoon by the sea. But for one British holidaymaker in Greece, it ended in a baffling disappearance that has left her family distraught and an entire community on edge.
Michele Ann Joy Bourda, 59, had been soaking up the sun at picturesque Ofrynio beach, near the northern Greek town of Kavala, on 1 August. She was beside her Greek husband, who decided to take a short nap. When he opened his eyes, she was gone.
Her lounger was empty. Her bag, sunglasses and water shoes were still neatly placed beside it. But Michele had vanished without a trace.
'It was like she evaporated into thin air,' said a beachside café owner, shaking his head. 'People here are shocked. You just don't expect something like this to happen in the middle of the day, surrounded by other holidaymakers.'
Massive Land-and-Sea Search
The Hellenic Coastguard has mounted one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts the region has seen in years. Patrol vessels, fishing boats and pleasure craft have been criss-crossing the turquoise waters of the Strymonian Gulf. Onshore, police have been combing the golden sands and dunes, calling her name.
'Three days may have passed, but we're not giving up,' a coastguard official told reporters. 'Hope dies last.'
LifeLine Hellas, a missing persons charity, has issued a silver alert – a tool often used when someone may be vulnerable or in urgent danger. They described Michele as 5ft 6in, slim, with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a swimsuit decorated with stones, yellow water shoes and red plastic sunglasses when last seen.
Not the First Mystery This Summer
Her case has drawn parallels with other unexplained disappearances in Greece. Just last month, 60-year-old Briton Jay Arnold vanished from the island of Karpathos, leaving his locked hire car behind. Despite drones, sniffer dogs and a small army of volunteers, police have admitted the trail has 'gone cold'.
And in June last year, celebrity doctor and TV host Michael Mosley died after becoming lost on the island of Symi. His body was found five days later in blistering heat, with an inquest ruling accidental heatstroke.
Locals in Ofrynio say the sweltering temperatures – some of the highest ever recorded in northern Greece – could pose real risks to anyone stranded without shade or water. 'It's beautiful here, but the heat can be dangerous. If she wandered off, she might have been overcome quickly,' one fisherman said.
No Sign of Stopping
As the search enters its fourth day, officials insist they are leaving no stone unturned. Even if the coastguard operation scales down, regular patrols will keep scanning the shoreline while police continue to check inland routes.
For now, Michele's disappearance remains a mystery – one that has cast a shadow over this sun-soaked stretch of the Aegean.
'Any scenario is possible,' said one rescue volunteer. 'We just hope we find her, and soon.'
Originally published on IBTimes UK
