More than two weeks after she was last seen in Brightlingsea, Brazilian psychologist Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto is still missing.

An extensive search by Essex Police of Brightlingsea, Bradwell and the surrounding coastlines by specialist search teams, air and marine support, has failed to reveal any decisive clues as to where the 30-year-old might be.

Vitoria Figueredo Barretto – missing for over two weeks

After travelling to Brightlingsea by bus on March 3, Vitoria was seen on CCTV in Morgan Marine’s boatyard just after midnight on March 4. Not long after, a person was seen rowing a small boat out to a vessel moored on a pontoon in the harbour, but police have been unable to confirm whether or not this was Vitoria.

At some point after that, the larger vessel, named Ancient Warrior – pictured below – was untied from its moorings and drifted out to sea. if someone was on board, they did not enter the cabin and did not start the engine. This week, police revealed that when found the next day, the boat had  run aground near Bradwell.

The Ancient Warrior – drifted from Brightlingsea harbour

“At this stage, there is still no clear and visible footage to conclusively state it was the 30-year-old Brazilian who unmoored the boat. However, we know Vitoria was seen walking alone in the waterfront area at 12.16am, having climbed over a nearby metal fence, which is close to where the boat was unmoored,” said Essex Police.

Working on the possibility that Vitoria had left the boat and gone ashore, police searched Bradwell and surrounds. But the search – bolstered by a leaflet and poster campaign instigated by concerned Brightlingsea residents – resulted in some unconfirmed sightings, but has otherwise drawn a blank.

After a member of the public found Vitoria’s tote bag on March 9, close to the fence surrounding the boatyard, a laptop – believed to be Vitoria’s – was found in Brightlingsea on Saturday, March 14.

Police haven’t said whether or not the laptop revealed any clues as to her whereabouts or motives. Vitoria’s phone and other belongings, along with a black rucksack, have not been found.

The disappearance has received wide publicity on TV, in the press and online, both in the UK and in Brazil. Appeals for information have been made by Vitoria’s family, who have travelled over from Brazil, and the friend, Liliane Silva, with whom she was staying with in Southend. Liliane and Vitoria visited Essex University on March 3 and it was from there that Vitoria caught the 87 bus to Bellfield Avenue.

Search for Vitoria Timeline

Tuesday March 3

• Vitoria travels to Essex University with friend
• 1pm: Vitoria catches an 87 bus to Brightlingsea at Boundary Road, Wivenhoe
• 1.30pm: Leaves bus at Bellfield Avenue
• 2.30pm: Seen on doorbell camera at Hurst Green

Wednesday March 4

• 12.16pm: Vitoria seen on CCTV in boatyard on Brightlingsea’s Shipyard Estate
• 12.16-12.32pm: Boat unmoored in Brightlingsea Creek
• Vitoria reported missing
• Police searches begin

Monday March 9

• Vitoria’s bag found near fence bordering Shipyard Estate
• Forensic officers seen on Shipyard Estate

Wednesday March 11

• Searches carried out on coastline along the Rivers Blackwater & Crouch, the Dengie peninsula and the southern coast of Mersea Island by Essex police air suppor, marine unit and specialist search teams

Thursday March 12

• Coastline searches continue

Saturday March 14

• Laptop discovered in Brightlingsea

Sunday March 15

• Family and friends take boat trip following route believed to have been taken by the unmoored boat

Tuesday March 17

• Police examining new CCTV footage of the harbour

On Sunday, March 15, police arranged for the family to travel by boat to follow the route believed to have been taken by the Ancient Warrior.

On Tuesday, March 17, police said that new CCTV footage of the Brightlingsea Harbour area had been secured “which officers are continuing to work through”.

A statement added: “The footage, which covers the harbour area, shows a number of vessels present on the water as part of regular marine work patterns between 12am and 6am on March 4. This period covers the points where we believe Vitoria may have entered the harbour area and unmoored a boat from a pontoon.”

The last sighting of Vitoria in a Brightlingsea boatyard

The officer leading the search, Detective Superintendent Anna Granger said: “We’re urging anyone who was working in Brightlingsea harbour or returning from work to the harbour between 12am and 6am to please come forward.

“Appreciating this will have been in darkness, did you see a lone individual unmooring a boat from a pontoon or appearing to be acting out of character in the area. Did you see anything which made you stop and think? Or something you may not have expected to see at that time of night and early morning?”

She added: “We’ve made a promise to Vitoria’s family that we will follow every reasonable lead. So, please, if you were on the water working in this time period, please come forward and speak to us.”

Since Vitoria was reported missing, police say they have received strong support from the Essex public, resulting in a “significant amount of information being reported”.

A dedicated portal has now been opened hrough which information can be reported straight to the teams directly involved in the search. Alternatively, anyone with information can call 999, quoting incident 622 of 4 March.