New CCTV shows last sighting of missing Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto at heart of huge police search

Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto was last seen on March 3 and police have released a significant update about her last known movements

The last sighting on CCTV of Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto on March 4 at around 12.16am

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The last sighting on CCTV of Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto on March 4 at around 12.16am(Image: Essex Police)

A new CCTV image shows the last sighting of a woman that has been missing for over a week. Essex Police continue their search to find Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, 30, who was last seen by a friend at Essex University on March 3.

 

She was reported missing to police on March 4. On Wednesday (March 11), officers expanded their search from Brighlingsea to the River Blackwater, the Dengie peninsula and River Crouch coastlines, and to Mersea Island.

 

Officers have not yet located Vitoria and will continue their search on Thursday (March 12). A police spokesperson said: “Officers leading the search are also aware of a boat having been taken from its mooring in Brightlingsea in the early hours of Wednesday, March 4.

“This report has consistently formed part of our enquiries, alongside numerous others which are also continuing to be explored diligently. We know the boat had been located on a drift in the water close to Bradwell-on-Sea and returned to Brightlingsea. It is the subject of a police search.

“The discovery of Vitoria’s bag off Copperas Road on Monday (March 9), which is close to where the boat was unmoored, has meant that our focus on this line of enquiry has clearly intensified. We now know the last sighting of Vitoria on CCTV was at 12.16am on Wednesday, March 4. With the business owner’s permission, we’re releasing an image from that footage.”

Officers know that the boat was unmoored between 12.16am and 12.36am, as Vitoria is not seen on CCTV then. It isn’t clear at this stage who the person is that unmoored the boat. However, officers are exploring the possibility that it could have been Vitoria. Anyone with information, CCTV or sightings should call police on 999.