Found Deceased Michele Ann Joy Bourda, 59, British tourist, suddenly disappeared from Ofrynio beach in Kavala, Greece, 1 Aug 2025

[C.greek]

Thank you very much

You can search for "εξαφανιση bourda" and you will get quite a few reports (in Greek though).

lMany people disappear every day unfortunately, and unless there is any indication of foul play, I think they don't make headlines. Really sad imo

 

[CityKid]

Right, she has a history of disappearing and is not very well.

The reason for them saying she was in danger.

Again, both sourced only from the husband without any investigation by the reporters.

 

[NervousNellie]

Again, both sourced only from the husband without any investigation by the reporters.

I also wonder whether the story of the sports instructor is sourced by the husband.

 

[detective.moon]

i was a bit “hmmmm” about the husband being the last one to see her, taking some time to report her, etc.

but it seems odd, if you would make up a story about your missing partner, to say she went missing in a public place, a place with life guards and people lounging around probably, where others could verify if she was there or not! usually the made up story takes place at home, with no witnesses around

 

[Inthedetails]

I agree with all of this. I also wonder how far out she was swimming that she would hear someone on shore yelling to her. No other beachgoers have corroborated this. Also, Ofrynio beach is very kid-friendly and the clear waters are popular with divers. I couldn't find any evidence that this is an area where rip currents are a problem.

48 hours in Ofrynio Beach – Costa Ofrynio: 8 experiences not to be missed! – Costa Ofrynio Booking

costaofryniobooking.gr

IIRC, drownings tend to be quiet.

jmopinion

 

[Kittypoo]

Right, she has a history of disappearing and is not very well.

The reason for them saying she was in danger.

I am surprised therefore that her husband felt able to nap and not be on constant watch.
Also as presumably the water sports coach did not know MB personally how can anyone be sure it was her in the sea?
IMO still nothing concrete as evidence to go on..

 

[Sarahlou]

I don't suspect the husband here at all. There will be information we don't know about who saw her and when. Not everything makes the press.
If she's been reported missing in the past then I'd guess there would be records of that.

 

[CityKid]

IIRC, drownings tend to be quiet.

jmopinion

Yes; having been caught in a rip current off Cancun that took seven men to drag me to safety, I can vouch for the inability to scream when being pulled under and out. It took all my strength to simply breathe.

Instinctive drowning response - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TootsieFootsie]

The husband is not a person of interest as far as I know.

Hopefully she will be found, but it's not looking good.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I wonder if she has any other family, children etc.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1952753975087792423

"The husband of missing British woman Michele Bourda
warned locals that his wife was
'not very well' and had 'disappeared before'
as he frantically asked for help
trying to find her after she vanished from a Greek beach on Friday.

'This is what he told us,
that she had gotten lost again
and that she wasn't very well,
the woman had problems'.

The 59-year-old woman had been swimming at Ofrynio beach in the city of Kavala
at around noon on Friday before disappearing."

 

[Inthedetails]

Yes; having been caught in a rip current off Cancun that took seven men to drag me to safety, I can vouch for the inability to scream when being pulled under and out. It took all my strength to simply breathe.

Instinctive drowning response - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thankful for those men and that you made it!

 

[miss marble]

Thank you for posting the local reporting which has more detail. The whole scenario now makes more sense compared with the vague articles in the UK press which left more questions than answers.

This does now seem a tragic case of misadventure, although if it's true that she was unwell and had got lost before, it's terribly sad for her that her husband wasn't paying more attention, especially near water imo.

 

[Alyce]

Translation from post 116 - with thanks to @C.greek

The shop where the couple was sitting is approximately 70 to 80 meters away from the beach where the sun loungers are located, and consequently there is no footage from security cameras either of the shop in question or of adjacent shops that show her movements and whether the woman left the scene on foot.

Meanwhile, a summer sports instructor who was at the beach revealed to LBC that he had spoken to a woman who matched Bourda's description. In fact, he stressed that he saw her swimming in deep water and advised her not to go any further. This was the first testimony from a person - since her disappearance was made public - who allegedly encountered Bourda.

At the same time, the Greek Police have at their disposal a testimony from a bather who testified that he saw her husband sleeping on a sunbed and the 59-year-old entering the sea and swimming in the deep water, while as the Greek Police spokeswoman, Constantia Dimoglidou, reported "there is no sign of criminal activity".
The only testimony we have - there is no sign of criminal activity - is from a bather who saw her, shortly before her husband woke up and realized that she was missing, in the sea swimming in the deep. And nothing else. We have no testimony that she has been seen on land," said Ms. Dimoglidou, adding that according to the Police protocol, the investigations will continue for 15 days.

Εξαφάνιση 59χρονης στην Καβάλα: «Μην κολυμπήσεις πιο βαθιά» της ζήτησε άνθρωπος που την είδε

Τι είπε ο Έλληνας σύζυγος μόλις αντιλήφθηκε ότι χάθηκε η 59χρονη γυναίκα του - «Δεν υπάρχει κανένα δείγμα εγκληματικής ενέργειας» λέει η Αστυνομία

www.protothema.gr

 

[Dotta]

it's terribly sad for her that her husband wasn't paying more attention, especially near water imo.

One cannot continue surveillance on somebody else 24/7.

This is real life
and he is not a jailer to constantly watch her.

JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Translation from post 116 - with thanks to @C.greek

The shop where the couple was sitting is approximately 70 to 80 meters away from the beach where the sun loungers are located, and consequently there is no footage from security cameras either of the shop in question or of adjacent shops that show her movements and whether the woman left the scene on foot.

Meanwhile, a summer sports instructor who was at the beach revealed to LBC that he had spoken to a woman who matched Bourda's description. In fact, he stressed that he saw her swimming in deep water and advised her not to go any further. This was the first testimony from a person - since her disappearance was made public - who allegedly encountered Bourda.

At the same time, the Greek Police have at their disposal a testimony from a bather who testified that he saw her husband sleeping on a sunbed and the 59-year-old entering the sea and swimming in the deep water, while as the Greek Police spokeswoman, Constantia Dimoglidou, reported "there is no sign of criminal activity".
The only testimony we have - there is no sign of criminal activity - is from a bather who saw her, shortly before her husband woke up and realized that she was missing, in the sea swimming in the deep. And nothing else. We have no testimony that she has been seen on land," said Ms. Dimoglidou, adding that according to the Police protocol, the investigations will continue for 15 days.

Εξαφάνιση 59χρονης στην Καβάλα: «Μην κολυμπήσεις πιο βαθιά» της ζήτησε άνθρωπος που την είδε

Τι είπε ο Έλληνας σύζυγος μόλις αντιλήφθηκε ότι χάθηκε η 59χρονη γυναίκα του - «Δεν υπάρχει κανένα δείγμα εγκληματικής ενέργειας» λέει η Αστυνομία

www.protothema.gr

Thank you. This is much more concrete info than what was previously reported. Sadly, I think she was overcome in the water.

Even if the husband were awake at the time, this still could've happened.

jmopinion

 

[Officer Dibble]

in italy something like this actually happened this summer a teenager was digging a hole - he was trying to make a tunnel iirc. when his father woke up from a nap his son was nowhere to be found. it turned out he hole/tunnel had collapsed and he was buried beneath the sand, and it was already too late.

17-Year-Old Boy Dies After Digging 5-Foot Hole on Beach and Being Buried Alive: Reports

A 17-year-old boy died after the hole he dug on a beach in Italy collapsed on top of him on Thursday, July 10: His father had been sleeping on the beach at the time and his younger siblings had gone to play on the shore

people.com

i don’t think i have ever seen a woman in her 50s digging holes by herself on the beach and i absolutely don’t believe this has happened to her! i was just reminded of this case that did actually happen

How terrible!

 

[otto]

If she was in the water at noon, and possibly a little farther from the beach than she should be, tides might tell a story.

High tide was at 11:15 AM. If she was out a little too far, she could have been swimming and unaware that the tide was pulling her out of the bay. I don't think it would take too long before she would be pulled away from shore - maybe 20 minutes. If that happened, then it wouldn't have taken too long before she saw (see topo map) a different shoreline. If she was a strong swimmer and could reason herself out of the situation, she could have returned to the beach after several hours. Alternatively, there are a lot of Islands in the area - her body should wash up somewhere.

Tide times and charts for Paralia Ofriniou, East Macedonia and Thrace and weather forecast for fishing in Paralia Ofriniou in 2025

Tide tables and solunar charts for Paralia Ofriniou: high tides and low tides, surf reports, sun and moon rising and setting times, lunar phase, fish activity and weather conditions in Paralia Ofriniou.

tides4fishing.com

Google map

 

[Officer Dibble]

Three unanswered questions after British woman, 59, goes missing from Greek beach

The disappearance of Michele Ann Joy Bourda has prompted a wide-ranging search of land and sea

inews.co.uk

Police search teams have also been working to find any trace of Ms Bourda on land.

A FCDO Spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Greece and are in contact with local authorities.”

In a press release issued by the Hellenic Coastguard, Ms Bourda was described as a “swimmer”. Mail Online reports that she was seen getting into deep water and was told to not go any further.
However, the exact circumstances around her disappearance remain unconfirmed.

Greek authorities have concentrated search and rescue efforts in the sea and on land, indicating that there is a lack of clarity over whether or not Ms Bourda entered the water.

A source told The Sun: “We are giving it our all.”

They added that “there are still no signs as to whether she went missing on land

You don't get into deep water - you swim into it. Unless on an airbed.

 

[Officer Dibble]

i was a bit “hmmmm” about the husband being the last one to see her, taking some time to report her, etc.

but it seems odd, if you would make up a story about your missing partner, to say she went missing in a public place, a place with life guards and people lounging around probably, where others could verify if she was there or not! usually the made up story takes place at home, with no witnesses around

and if others on the beach they automatically look up to see who is going into the water. Unless the entire beach were asleep or there was no-one else on the beach.