Vitória Barreto: Timeline of events from UK landing to now

Essex Police and communities across Essex are continuing to search for Vitória, 30, who was last seen on Tuesday, March 3 at the University of Essex campus in Wivenhoe.

Vitória had been staying in the Southend area but travelled to the campus where she had been taking part in academic research.

On the day she was last seen, she was wearing a dark coat, a blue turtleneck jumper, light blue jeans and dark trainers with white soles.

Her white tote bag and her laptop have been found in Brightlingsea; her black rucksack and other electrical items have not been located.

Her loved ones have shared a timeline of events from the day Vitória arrived in the UK.

Missing - Vitória arrived in the UK and began staying at the home of a university lecturer in Southend on March 1 (Image: Essex Police/family)

Sunday March 1

Vitória arrived in the UK and began staying at the home of a university lecturer in Southend, who was hosting her.

She visited Southend Victoria Station, where she took a photo next to the station sign with her name, ‘Victoria’.

Tuesday, March 3

Vitória was at the University of Essex campus in Colchester and met with a lecturer after lunch. She was expected to meet the lecturer again at 4.45pm, but she did not arrive.

Instead, Vitória took the number 87 bus to Brightlingsea just after 1pm. She was seen on doorbell footage in the Hurst Green area of Brightlingsea at around 2.30pm.

Vitória was seen on CCTV jumping over a fence into a boatyard, close to where the bag was found, shortly after midnight – around 10 hours after the confirmed sighting in Hurst Green.

Bus - Vitoria got on the number 87 bus to Brightlingsea and was seen on doorbell footage at around 2.30pm (Image: Essex Police/PA Wire)

Wednesday, March 4

A boat was unmoored from a pontoon close to where Vitória was seen on CCTV. The vessel did not appear to have its engine started and, over the next few hours, it began drifting out of the harbour before ultimately coming to a rest close to Bradwell-on-Sea.

Later that day, Vitória was reported missing.

There have been reports of possible sightings of Vitória in the Bradwell-on-Sea area.

Vitória’s loved ones believe she may be moving south and trying to reach Southend, where the lecturer hosting her lives.

A spokesperson for her loved ones wrote in the ‘Find Vitoria Barreto’ Facebook group: “If you live in Southend, please consider placing a Brazilian flag in your window, shopfront, or car.

“If Vitória sees a Brazilian flag, she may recognise it as a safe place and feel more confident approaching to ask for help.

“If you see a Brazilian flag anywhere in the area, please also share this message with them.

“Please share this post widely across Southend groups so more people can keep an eye out.

“Vitória has already shown incredible strength — surviving hours drifting at sea and reaching land.

“We believe she is still fighting.

“Southend community, you can help bring her home.”

Brazilian - Vitoria's loved ones are urging people to display Brazilian flags so that she knows she is welcome (Image: Family Handout)

Essex Police’s search expanded from Brightlingsea to the River Blackwater, the Dengie peninsular, and River Crouch coastlines and to Mersea Island.

Leading officers are aware of a boat being taken from its mooring in Brightlingsea in the early hours of March 4, which was located on a drift in the water close to Bradwell-on-Sea.

To follow updates from her loved ones, join the ‘Find Vitoria Barreto’ Facebook group.

If you have any information, please call 999 as soon as possible, quoting incident 622 of 4 March.

A dedicated portal to share information with Essex Police has been set up: Public Portal.