POLICE say they have found a bag belonging to a missing Brazilian woman who has not been seen in five days.
Vitória Figueiredo Barreto has not been seen since March 3.
The 30-year-old had been staying in the Southend area but was last seen on Tuesday, March 3, at the University of Essex campus in Wivenhoe.
Police believe Vitória boarded the number 87 bus on Boundary Road just after 1pm.
The force says she arrived in Brightlingsea at 2.30pm and stayed in the Hurst Green area for about 10 minutes.
Essex Police says she did not use her phone much as she has a Brazilian Sim card and relied on WiFi.
A person was seen on CCTV shortly after midnight that night climbing a fence in a boat yard in Copperas Road.
Police say her tote bag was found nearby and they are now focusing the search in this area.
Vitória was last seen wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and black trainers.
Speaking on Friday Detective Superintendent Anna Granger said officers were becoming increasingly concerned.
“Vitoria’s been missing for almost a week now and every day that she’s missing our concerns for her grow,” she said.
“We’ve been reviewing CCTV, carrying out door‑to‑door enquiries in the areas she was last seen, and speaking to her friends and family.
“Vitória, if you’re reading this, please get in touch. We just need to know you’re safe.
“I would urge anyone living or working in the Brightlingsea area to check CCTV, doorbell or dash‑cam footage which may show her movements.”
The missing psychologist, who hails from the city of Fortaleza in north-east Brazil, left her homeland in January to travel to Morocco for a conference before heading to Britain.
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