UK UK - Alice Byrne, 28, last seen around 2am after beach party, Portobello, Edinburgh, 1 Jan 2022

[wallaby]

This is all so worrying and sad. Knowing the area, and also how busy it is on New Years, it’s extra frustrating there are no known sightings after she left the party. <modsnip: rumors>

Maybe there is stuff we don’t know that the police do though.

It’s just all desperately worrying and sad. Hoping for a good outcome but the longer it goes on the less likely that sadly feels.

 

[Doughy]

No I understand not the actual footage but to confirm she was seen on cctv at a certain time.

 

[Ironside]

No I understand not the actual footage but to confirm she was seen on cctv at a certain time.

I’m sure they’ve shared this information with the family. Essentially if they strongly believe she’s gone into the sea sharing the exact time she was last seen with the general public is not going to make any difference whatsoever to the search.

 

[Parmalade]

This may sound a little sensationalist so apologies in advance, but it’s possible that both the last sighting of her leaving the house that hosted the party and the presumed direction of onward travel could be from statements of one or more witnesses at the house itself (E.g. “she left at X time and said she was heading to…”). And therefore should/has the house itself been searched or the occupants questioned further in the (hopefully unlikely) event those statements (if they exist) are false?

 

[Doughy]

I wondered if the police believed she had headed to the promenade as she hadn't been picked up on the High Street cctv at the other end of that street, rather than her actually been picked up on cctv heading the other way. Which would explain the vague time; that would've just been given from someone else at the party half asleep.

 

[Kassanddra]

@Doughy lots of unanswered questions. I always wonder with things like this, the police must know more than we realise. Hope they know more.

 

[jiminy]

Took the dog along to Porty today. Even in the cold and drizzle it was lively with people in the water, wild swimming and canoeing, and the beach was bustling with families and dogs. Alice’s poster is everywhere.

There were so many eyes today standing watching the brave souls on the water. There would have been many times more on New Year’s Day. I feel like it would be a slim chance of her deliberately going too far out in the water there and not being noticed by someone. Possible but horribly unlucky, if so.

 

[Doughy]

Took the dog along to Porty today. Even in the cold and drizzle it was lively with people in the water, wild swimming and canoeing, and the beach was bustling with families and dogs. Alice’s poster is everywhere.

There were so many eyes today standing watching the brave souls on the water. There would have been many times more on New Year’s Day. I feel like it would be a slim chance of her deliberately going too far out in the water there and not being noticed by someone. Possible but horribly unlucky, if so.

I wonder if she left more closer to 8am than 10am when it was still dark and walked to a less populated stretch; either up to Seafield or Joppa.

I feel so sad for Alice's loved ones. The not knowing is awful.

 

[ApparentlyInDenial]

“For now the police lead the search” Excuse me how rude. People don’t spend their time on these things for nothing.

 

[JuicyLucy]

“For now the police lead the search” Excuse me how rude. People don’t spend their time on these things for nothing.

Well, and it's worth pointing out that people don't have to comply with the police's preferred way of handling things. Many are the families of missing people who wish years later that they had followed their own instincts instead of trusting the police when they were told to 'leave it with us'. But in this case imo people should probably follow the lead of Alice's family, who as far as I've read are happy with the police response so far.

 

[MintyMerlin]

Well, and it's worth pointing out that people don't have to comply with the police's preferred way of handling things. Many are the families of missing people who wish years later that they had followed their own instincts instead of trusting the police when they were told to 'leave it with us'. But in this case imo people should probably follow the lead of Alice's family, who as far as I've read are happy with the police response so far.

It's tricky though isn't it because you must feel so reliant on them to help you and not want to annoy them, but at the same time the need to do something like physically SEARCH must be overwhelming. I'm quite confused by the idea that LE think she has gone in the water but don't want people to search. If it isn't suspicious then finding her is so important for family and clearly there was manpower here available. If they don't know where she went then where is the CCTV and why wouldn't it help to release it?

Edited to clarify: the manpower of locals volunteering to get out and search.

 

[jiminy]

The thing is, if anything does go in the water and out with the tide, it would likely be found much further away if at all.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

"Alice was last seen leaving a friend’s flat in Marlborough Street between 8am and 10am on Saturday, 1 January and from enquiries to date, officers believe that she potentially headed in the direction of the promenade and beach..."

New Year's Day always quiet, and at that time I can imagine being far quieter than a usual Saturday.

Heading towards water does not feel good.

This is now the fourth case in recent weeks where people have been known to do so. Only one as yet recovered - Harvey Parker - while the other two remain missing. If you want to follow:

UK - UK - Charley Gadd, 20, last seen early hours in city centre, Manchester, 11 Dec 2021

UK - UK - Nicholas Degraff, 23, Workington, left Great Clifton wth dog to walk home, 12 Dec 2021

 

[KittyKatKrazy333]

I read in a previous post that Alice had left home with no phone and little money. Also, the same report said Alice was single and lived with her parents. <modsnip: No link to an approved source>.

 

[Doughy]

Yeah which is why the difference between 8am and 10am matters

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I read in a previous post that Alice had left home with no phone and little money. Also, the same report said Alice was single and lived with her parents. <modsnip: No link to an approved source>.

Has it been stated where she actually lived?

<modsnip>

If so, that could account for no phone or money, as she probably thought she would be needing neither for a few hours, and could get home just with a few minutes walk.

 

[RusselSprout]

I don't know if everyone is the same but I take my phone everywhere with me, even to the loo !!!

So why would she not take her phone:
Left the party in a rush
Was just nipping out for something and was expecting to be back shortly
Was very drunk and forgot to take her belongings
You often read of missing people having no phone or money, is a possible reason for that they don't want to be detected?

 

[JuicyLucy]

The phone was knowingly left behind because it was broken:

Twin brother begs sister to come home after vanishing from Edinburgh NYE beach party

 

[MintyMerlin]

This poster says she was seen at 2am on Bath Street.

Did she go to the beach? Or did she void going there, and went to Marlborough Street party instead? Or both? Has it been confirmed anywhere?

If she arrived at Marlborough Street after 2am, what kind of 'party' was going on there? Particularly if she did live within a few mins walking distance she didn't leave until after 8am, possibly much later?

<modsnip>

But I know what you mean. It's a funny time to go to a party. I suppose if it was round the corner and your parents were going to bed/had gone to bed and you weren't ready to go to bed, then you might pop over there to say hi etc.

Early indications were that Alice was 'last seen' at home though, and the info about the Marlborough St party didn't come out for a couple of days, suggesting that when they woke up the family were not aware of where Alice had gone initially.

In other words, she did not say 'I'm popping out to a party'. They last saw her at home in the early hours and then only later the info about the party emerged. And as someone else pointed out upthread, it was quite a long time after, which suggests it possibly wasn't a close group of friends.

Possible she just went out for a wander and got invited into the party by people also attending. A randomness to the plan might account for it being hard to trace.

 

[katydid23]

<modsnip>

But I know what you mean. It's a funny time to go to a party. I suppose if it was round the corner and your parents were going to bed/had gone to bed and you weren't ready to go to bed, then you might pop over there to say hi etc.

Early indications were that Alice was 'last seen' at home though, and the info about the Marlborough St party didn't come out for a couple of days, suggesting that when they woke up the family were not aware of where Alice had gone initially.

In other words, she did not say 'I'm popping out to a party'. They last saw her at home in the early hours and then only later the info about the party emerged. And as someone else pointed out upthread, it was quite a long time after, which suggests it possibly wasn't a close group of friends.

Possible she just went out for a wander and got invited into the party by people also attending. A randomness to the plan might account for it being hard to trace.

What I don't quite get, is what was happening from 2 am until 10 am the next morning? Did she stay up all night and talk with friends at the party? Or were they drinking? Or did she take a nap?

I am trying to get a handle on what kind of 'condition' she was when she left that morning. Was she rested and calm? Just wanting a nice walk on the beach?

Or was she up all night partying and was tired and hungry?