A British woman who vanished from a beach in Greece over a month ago died from drowning, authorities have said.
Michele Ann Bourda, aged 59, disappeared while her husband was asleep on Ofrynio beach in Kavala, northern Greece last month.
Police said she was found on the small, privately owned island of Fidonisi around 40km from where she vanished, according to the Daily Mail.
Following an autopsy on Friday, medical experts confirmed that she almost certainly died as a result of drowning. Foul play has been ruled out.
Forensic scientists Nikos Kifnidis told The Sun: “There were no other injuries… I have concluded her death was a result of drowning in the water. The swimsuit she was wearing, bought in the UK, was central to her being identified.”
Her husband, Chris Bourda, had informed police that he was especially concerned as his wife had a history of severe depression and anxiety.
Speaking to the newspaper, he criticised authorities for not beginning their search soon enough and claimed they told him that his wife had disappeared with an unknown man, which he dismissed as “rubbish”.
Mr Bourda told the Mail : “They have found her body. Sadly, I was expecting this. The problem is the harbour police did not start their search until late at night, and I don’t know what effect that had.
“I think the harbour police really didn’t do anything and next time something like this happens they should think about it. It shouldn’t take them three hours to write up a missing person’s report before starting the search.”
The couple had been sunbathing on the beach together when her husband woke up to find her gone around midday. Her belongings, including her money, glasses, and medication, were still there.
“They said there were no signs she had drowned, that there was no body, that she was following someone else. But I knew this was not the case,” Mr Bourda said.
“It’s impossible. Nobody did anything to help. Even the chap who saw her in the sea, he lost sight of her. If you are a foreigner, they do not care about you here.”
Mr Bourda also called for mental health services in Britain to improve. “If she had seen a psychiatrist much earlier and got the relevant medication, then she would have still been alive,” he said.
“The problem with depression is that it can sometimes trick you into thinking you are fine. I thought she was alright, but she wasn’t.
“Unfortunately, I fell asleep in the sun and I slept and when I woke up I knew instantly something was wrong. I didn’t know then what had happened but I knew something had gone wrong.”
The Hellenic Police were contacted for comment.
The Foreign Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.”
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