A British backpacker missing in Cambodia had been “living out her dream” in the country, her sister said today.
Amelia Bambridge, 21, from Worthing, West Sussex, vanished five days ago after leaving a party on the island of Koh Rong. Her purple rucksack, containing her purse, phone and bank cards, was discovered the following morning.
Her younger sister, Georgie, recalled that Amelia had said her first solo trip was “doing so much for her confidence” during a phone call, just hours before she disappeared.
Georgie told Sky News: “She said ‘Everyone is so cool here’ and couldn’t be happier. She’s literally wanted to go travelling her whole life.
“She has spent the past two years saving for it and spent the last year reading blogs of travellers, researching what she was going to do. She knew everything and was living out her dream.”
She added that her sister, who was a “role model”, “would never drink to excess” and was “always in control”. “She would always be looking out for me; it’s not like her to not look after herself. I just don’t know what’s happened,” she said.
Amelia had set off on her trip on September 27, when she flew to Vietnam. The last photograph of her was taken at the beach party at about 1.20am.
Her family were alerted to her disappearance after she failed to check out of the Nest Beach Club hostel, where her passport remained.
Around 90 people, including volunteer divers, were today scouring the shoreline and jungle. Kouch Chamroeun, the local governor leading the search, said: “There is a high suspicion that she may have drowned. Looking at her phone, she has taken pictures and posted online until 3.23am.”
Police were also investigating the possibility of foul play, and authorities had asked fishermen at sea to assist them.
Amelia’s mother, Linda, was today joining the missing woman’s father and brother, who earlier travelled to Cambodia to help with the search.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia, and we are in close contact with the Cambodian police.”
