The body of a British backpacker missing for more than a week in Cambodia was found at sea on Thursday about 100km from the island where she disappeared, officials said.
The body of 21-year-old Amelia Bambridge was discovered in the Gulf of Thailand northwest of Koh Rong, where she disappeared after attending a beach party on Wednesday last week, Preah Sihanouk Province Police Chief Major General Chuon Narin said.
It was found near another island, Koh Chhlam, close to Cambodia’s maritime border with Thailand.
Authorities had launched an intensive land, air and sea search that was joined by members of the woman’s family, who traveled to Cambodia after learning that she was missing.
Bambridge’s family had speculated that she might have become lost in the heavy jungle in the island’s interior, but Cambodian officials had leaned toward the theory that she drowned because her bag with money and a smartphone was found on a rock on the coast.
Her brother, Harry Bambridge, who took part in the search, on Thursday posted a message on Facebook saying that he had seen the body and could confirm it was Amelia.
“I’m so sorry to all her friends and family there’s nothing more I wanted than to bring her back alive,” he wrote. “And I’m sorry to you Amelia Bambridge the round is on me when we meet again in heaven.”
Cambodian Deputy Navy Commander Tea Sokha said the body had been spotted by a fisher, who notified authorities.
He said it was identified by the clothing and tattoos, which matched photographs of the woman taken on the night she disappeared.
The body was taken to Sihanoukville Referral Hospital in Cambodia’s main coastal city, Sihanoukville.
Sokha said forensic experts would confirm the identification and examine the body for the cause of death.
Amelia Bambridge’s mother, father and sister had also been in Koh Rong and Sihanoukville, but it was unclear if anyone other than her brother had viewed the body.
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