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

[Izzylizzy]

This is what I don't get no matter if the swimmer was Michele or not.
This "summer sports instructor" did not continue watching the swimmer that they warned just to make sure she heard them and are listening to the warning,


"LBC heard this morning that a summer sports instructor who was on the beach at the time she went missing reported speaking to someone who matched her description.

He said he saw her swimming in deep waters and said he had urged her not to swim out any further."

Brit missing from beach in Greece while husband slept was ‘warned not to swim out too far’ by witness | LBC

A British woman who vanished from her sunbed on a Greek beach while her husband slept had been warned not to swim out too far to sea, a witness said.

www.lbc.co.uk

 

[Greenestdays]

This is what I don't get no matter if the swimmer was Michele or not.
This "summer sports instructor" did not continue watching the swimmer that they warned just to make sure she heard them and are listening to the warning,

It wasn’t his responsibility to babysit a seemingly capable adult woman. I find nothing bizarre about his statement. He warned a person who probably didn’t look local. Maybe he got a reply in Greek or the lady made a gesture to brush him off or something and he went on with his day. If she had seemed to be in trouble at that moment, I’m sure he would have intervened.

 

[ch_13]

This is what I don't get no matter if the swimmer was Michele or not.
This "summer sports instructor" did not continue watching the swimmer that they warned just to make sure she heard them and are listening to the warning,


"LBC heard this morning that a summer sports instructor who was on the beach at the time she went missing reported speaking to someone who matched her description.

He said he saw her swimming in deep waters and said he had urged her not to swim out any further."

Brit missing from beach in Greece while husband slept was ‘warned not to swim out too far’ by witness | LBC

A British woman who vanished from her sunbed on a Greek beach while her husband slept had been warned not to swim out too far to sea, a witness said.

www.lbc.co.uk

I mean, what could the "sports instructor" do? He wasn't there in any official capacity. He just passed along a friendly warning. Unless he stayed close by, it's not easy to track someone in the bobbing waves.

The other day I was descending a mountain and some folks were heading up. I warned them that the weather conditions were deteriorating and a thunderstorm was brewing. They thanked me, but kept going. Should I have followed them and kept pleading with them to turn around? They were adults and free to make their own choices. As it turns out, I haven't heard of any deaths/injuries so I assume they finished their hike without any problems.

 

[Dotta]

I mean, what could the "sports instructor" do? He wasn't there in any official capacity. He just passed along a friendly warning. Unless he stayed close by, it's not easy to track someone in the bobbing waves.

The other day I was descending a mountain and some folks were heading up. I warned them that the weather conditions were deteriorating and a thunderstorm was brewing. They thanked me, but kept going. Should I have followed them and kept pleading with them to turn around? They were adults and free to make their own choices. As it turns out, I haven't heard of any deaths/injuries so I assume they finished their hike without any problems.

Besides,
If you had followed them nagging constantly
you would have probably been arrested!

"Officer,
this weird person is bothering us!"

 

[otto]

If she did drown we don't even know if she was able to scream for help and even so could anyone hear her?

Sorry if I'm repeating what's already been discussed as I'm late to the thread and haven't read all the prior posts.

i would be surprised to hear that anyone uses their last breath of air before drowning to let out a scream.

 

[otto]

If she was pulled from shore by the tide, she would have tried to swim to shore. The safest option is to swim parallel to the shore, but that's not possible close to the shore. She has to be some distance from the shore to escape the pull of the current. Farther from shore, the water is deeper and colder, so she would have to swim with purpose and rhythm. If she was tired or cold, she might try swimming on her back, flutter kick, but then she can't see where she's going. Meanwhile, the hot sun on her head would tire her. If she was pulled out by the tide, she would drown from fatigue - no screams, no waving arms, just float away.
... just my opinion

 

[Sarahlou]

i would be surprised to hear that anyone uses their last breath of air before drowning to let out a scream.

Especially if it's something they've chosen to do, which I guess is a possibility here. My first thoughts were that if she drowned it was an accident, but that might not be the case.

 

[Hexe]

If she did drown we don't even know if she was able to scream for help and even so could anyone hear her?

People drown in silence. They don't scream, they are physically unable as their windpipe clenches trying to not let the water in.

 

[Izzylizzy]

i would be surprised to hear that anyone uses their last breath of air before drowning to let out a scream.

My line of thinking is when a person knows they're in trouble they yell out for help.
I don't see that as an impossibility before someone actually drowns.
imo

 

[CityKid]

My line of thinking is when a person knows they're in trouble they yell out for help.
I don't see that as an impossibility before someone actually drowns.
imo

People who are starting to struggle in the water, but are not drowning, may be able to yell. People who are actively drowning don't yell. I posted earlier on this board about what happened when I got caught in a rip current and needed to be rescued. I'm lifeguard-certified by the American Red Cross and I couldn't make a sound; it took all my strength to get my mouth above water and gasp for air.

Instinctive drowning response - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Her husband, who is Greek, had been sleeping and woke up to find that she had vanished from the beach.

He reportedly asked the owners of a nearby shop if they had seen his wife, and revealed that Mrs Bourda 'was not very well'.

Speaking to Greek outlet Protothema, one of the shop owners said: 'The couple were together and at some point the husband fell asleep and it seems that the wife went in to swim.

'When the husband woke up and didn't see her next to him, he came to the store and asked us if we had seen his wife, who had disappeared.

'He also told us that his wife was not very well, and that she had problems.'

I think it probably telling that she had 'problems' and was 'not very well', whether they were problems of a depression, mental health type or some form of dementia, it is now going into 5th day without sighting. It seems that she may have succumbed in the water.

Husband's frantic search for British wife who vanished from sunbed

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

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[MollyHarps]

I didn't say he should be on 24/7 surveillance or be her jailer though did I?
Most everyday situations are not dangerous, but being in or near water is potentially life threatening for someone described as 'unwell' or has 'got lost' before.
I merely posted my opinion and what I would do in that situation.

I think when you’re with somebody who may have severe mental health issues any situation is dangerous - you could fall asleep at home and the person could self harm or leave the house.

Unfortunately, at some point the human body requires us to sleep - it seems like for him it was at the beach (the sea Air can really hit you if you’re tired!)

I had my suspicions at first but they’ve all gone now - I believe this is likely just somebody choosing to end their life.

I hope her body is recovered quickly as I see no hope of a positive outcome here x

 

[flowershop]

I hadn't thought about stones in the water.

The beaches here are just sand, most of the ones where people swim anyway.

Many Greek beaches have pebbles instead of sand. If you want to experience some awe google any of these : Navagio Beach, Myrtos Beach, Plaka Beach, Paleokastritsa Beach......

 

[JennieM]

In a photo that has come to light, the woman is captured with her husband on the beach just 3 hours before she mysteriously disappeared

Θρίλερ στην Καβάλα: Κανένα ίχνος της 59χρονης Βρετανίδας που εξαφανίστηκε την Παρασκευή - Η φωτογραφία λίγο πριν χαθούν τα ίχνη της

Ελλάδα - Άκαρπες παραμένουν οι έρευνες

www.parapolitika.gr

 

[Dotta]

"British woman who vanished from Greek beach while her husband slept in the sun ​

'was used to swimming in cold water ​

and going on hours-long hikes',​

neighbours say.​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1952852249887043707

Michele, though described as timid by her neighbours in Glasgow,
was said to be very adventurous and active.

Neighbours would regularly see her and her husband Christos out walking with backpacks on as they loaded the car for another day trip in the wild.

One of her neighbours said:
'They've got bikes, and are quite active.
They like to go walking, they like to go wild swimming'.

Another added:
'The couple are very private and keep themselves to themselves.
She is very quiet and timid and he is a bit more commanding.
They moved to Glasgow about six years ago because their son is studying here'.

'They are retired and tend to go everywhere together even though they have two cars.
They are quite guarded and private
but I'm very shocked that she has gone missing'."

 

[Izzylizzy]

People who are starting to struggle in the water, but are not drowning, may be able to yell. People who are actively drowning don't yell. I posted earlier on this board about what happened when I got caught in a rip current and needed to be rescued. I'm lifeguard-certified by the American Red Cross and I couldn't make a sound; it took all my strength to get my mouth above water and gasp for air.

Instinctive drowning response - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thankfully you're with us to educate us.
I got caught in an undertow in the ocean at Montauk Point LI NY and still shiver thinking about it.

Any beach advisories for that day when Michele was last seen?

 

[Izzylizzy]

Has anything been reported on any previous drownings at that beach and the victim(s) being recovered?

The water's current usually moves in a certain direction carrying the body, any outlets?

 

[Izzylizzy]

Especially if it's something they've chosen to do, which I guess is a possibility here. My first thoughts were that if she drowned it was an accident, but that might not be the case.

Choosing to do that has always perplexed me.

You hear of people who just walked into the water and drowned themself and I've always thought that that would be very difficult to achieve when the body's first instinct is to get air.
imo

 

[otto]

"British woman who vanished from Greek beach while her husband slept in the sun ​

'was used to swimming in cold water ​

and going on hours-long hikes',​

neighbours say.​

https://twitter.com/x/status/1952852249887043707

Michele, though described as timid by her neighbours in Glasgow,
was said to be very adventurous and active.

Neighbours would regularly see her and her husband Christos out walking with backpacks on as they loaded the car for another day trip in the wild.

One of her neighbours said:
'They've got bikes, and are quite active.
They like to go walking, they like to go wild swimming'.

Another added:
'The couple are very private and keep themselves to themselves.
She is very quiet and timid and he is a bit more commanding.
They moved to Glasgow about six years ago because their son is studying here'.

'They are retired and tend to go everywhere together even though they have two cars.
They are quite guarded and private
but I'm very shocked that she has gone missing'."

So neighbours are not reporting that she wanders off and is unwell?

 

[C.greek]

So neighbours are not reporting that she wanders off and is unwell?

Since there is a silver alert, there is no need to have testinonies from the neighbours that she is unwell. The silver alert is issued in Greece when the person is Elderly (60+) and/or when there is danger for their lives if they disappear, I.e. not taking their medications for instance because of serious health problems. This is issued only after their doctor provides the relevant information on the missing person's health. So, in this instance, the silver alert proves that she is unwell. Of course we don't know whether it is mental health or other health issues she is having.

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