A wife is frantically searching for her Irish husband after he went missing in Brazil and she fears the worst because of the high crime in the country.
George Graham Matthew, 28, from Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, vanished at around 5pm on Saturday after he went to the gym where he lives in the port city of Itajaí in the state of Santa Catarina.
His wife Camila Cristina said she is “very worried”, saying he went out without a mobile phone and that he doesn’t speak Portuguese and his disappearance is “not normal”.
Camila is desperately searching for her husband around Itajaí and has looked in the hospitals and contacted the police but so far has found no trace of Mr Matthew.
Speaking on the phone, she said: “I’m very worried. I don’t want to fear the worst but Brazil is not like Ireland, it is very dangerous. It is not normal for someone to go out and not come back for 24 hours.
“I have gone to the police, the hospital, and nothing. I’m now looking around the city. I’m hoping it’s just that he just went drinking with friends.”
Camila posted details of his disappearance on her Facebook account in a bid to trace the Irishman.
She posted a photo of Mr Matthew and said at the time he went missing he was wearing gym clothes, a grey t-shirt and was carrying a skateboard.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has been contacted for comment.
