A major search operation is underway for a British woman who vanished from a Greek beach after a sunbed dispute. Michele Bourda, 59, was last seen on a sunbed at Ofrynio beach near Kavala on 1 August. Her Greek husband reported her missing after waking from a nap to find her gone, though her belongings remained.
The Hellenic coastguard, supported by pleasure craft and fishing boats, is combing the Strymonian Gulf. A coastguard official said the search continues with no plans to halt it yet. Police are also conducting an extensive land search. Bourda, a temporary resident of Serres, is described as 5ft 6in, slim, wearing a swimsuit with decorative stones, yellow water shoes, and red plastic sunglasses.
LifeLine Hellas, a missing persons charity, issued a silver alert, often used for people with dementia. The British embassy in Athens has also appealed for help. Officials have not decided whether to continue the search beyond Monday, but land searches and routine patrols will persist.
Bourda is the third Briton to go missing in Greece this summer. In July, Jay Arnold, 60, vanished on Karpathos; his search has gone cold. In June, Dr Michael Mosley died of heatstroke on Symi. Ofrynio beach, known for its beauty, has been affected by record temperatures.
