British Woman Missing in Greece Found Dead: Husband Slams Police Response
A tragic end has been confirmed in the case of a British woman who vanished while on holiday in Greece.
Michele Bourda, 59, faded without a trace after leaving her sunbed on Ofrynio sand, Kavala, on 1 August. Her hubby, Chris, 66, was asleep on a nearby lounger when he woke to find her gone.
Her things, including plutocrat, spectacles and drug, remained untouched on the sand.
Days of confusion and growing concern followed. Early reports centred on the search for a British woman missing from a Greek beach, but Chris says local officers failed to act with urgency when he raised the alarm.
Her remains were later discovered on Fidonisi, a privately owned island around 40km away. According to authorities, the swimsuit found with the body makes them “99 per cent sure” it belongs to Michele.
The body of missing Michele Bourda has been found on a privately owned island called Fidonisi, 40km from where she was last seen on a Greek Beach. Her husband revealed she was found half naked & missing her head #Greece #MicheleBourda #Greekislandhttps://t.co/OH4OkShDUT pic.twitter.com/w30lNBJ4gL
— Justice 4 Nicola Bulley & Others ⚖️ (@chucklechopsx) September 4, 2025
Chris confirmed the devastating news to the Daily Mail. He said: “They have found her body. Sadly I was expecting this.”
He went on to criticise the handling of the investigation: “The problem is the harbour police did not start their search until late at night and I don’t know what effect that had… It shouldn’t take them three hours to write up a missing person’s report before starting the search.”
The discovery has raised more questions than answers. Michele’s body, according to reports, was found partially unclothed, missing a head, and showing signs of being in the sea for some time.
Chris, a pharmacist, also rejected suggestions from officers that his wife may have willingly left with a stranger. “They said she was following someone else. But I knew this was not the case. She would not have gone off without her money, her glasses or her medication.”
Michele had long battled with depression and anxiety. Chris explained she had once disappeared in London, though police in the UK acted swiftly and located her the same night.
This time, he was left to search alone. He recalled walking the coastline day and night, checking olive groves, abandoned houses and hillsides with no success.
“For days and nights I have gone up and down the coast, searched bushes, olive groves, empty houses, building sites… nothing,” he said. “I asked the police why they don’t use dogs, drones, helicopters, and they replied, ‘Where shall we search? It’s a vast area.’”
Chris has since lodged complaints against both local and harbour police, accusing them of negligence and indifference towards foreign nationals. “If they are a foreigner, they do not care about you here,” he added.
The official identification of Michele’s body is still pending.
For Chris, the grief is now mixed with anger. He believes his wife’s life may have been saved had the search begun earlier.
