A new witness has come forward claiming to have seen Vitoria Figueiredo Barreto, the 30-year-old Brazilian psychologist who has been missing in Essex since March 3, 2026, rowing a boat from a boatyard in Brightlingsea early on the morning of March 4. The sighting, reported to police and corroborated by emerging details in the ongoing investigation, has intensified the search efforts along the Essex coastline and shifted focus toward the possibility that she entered the water voluntarily or under duress.

Vitoria, a clinical psychologist from Fortaleza, Brazil, arrived in the UK on February 2 for academic purposes, including attending a conference in Morocco beforehand and collaborating on a research project with her friend Liliane Silva, a PhD student and lecturer at the University of Essex in Colchester. The two were comparing aspects of mental health support systems in Brazil and the UK. Vitoria was also exploring doctoral opportunities in Britain.

She was last in regular contact with family and friends on March 3 after meeting Liliane at the university campus in Wivenhoe. CCTV captured her boarding the number 87 bus from the campus just after 1 p.m. The 30-minute ride took her to Brightlingsea, a quiet coastal town known for its harbor and boating community. She disembarked in Bellfield Avenue later that afternoon. Doorbell footage from the Hurst Green area showed her shortly after 2:30 p.m., marking one of the final confirmed ground-level sightings.

Her family raised the alarm on March 4 when messages and calls went unanswered. Essex Police launched a missing persons inquiry, treating it as a concern for welfare rather than criminal at the outset. A major breakthrough came when a white shoulder tote bag—matching Vitoria’s description and emblazoned with the phrase “people over profit”—was discovered on a greenspace near Copperas Road in Brightlingsea on March 9. The bag’s proximity to the waterfront raised immediate questions about her movements.

Further CCTV analysis revealed a person believed to be Vitoria climbing over a fence into a privately-run boatyard (referred to as The Boatyard) at approximately 00:16 on March 4. Police released still images from this footage as her last confirmed visual sighting. Between 00:16 and 00:36 a.m., when officers established a rowing boat had been unmoored from its spot in Brightlingsea, Vitoria is no longer visible on available CCTV. No clear footage identifies the individual who untied the vessel.

The boat was later located adrift in the water near Bradwell-on-Sea, south of Mersea Island, and returned to Brightlingsea for forensic examination. Police have stated that the unmoored craft is central to their inquiries, with searches expanded to include the River Blackwater, the Dengie peninsula, River Crouch coastlines, and Mersea Island using marine units, coastguard helicopters, and ground teams.

The witness account of seeing someone—now believed by investigators to be Vitoria—rowing the boat away from the boatyard in the early hours of March 4 has added urgency. The sighting aligns with the timeline of the boat’s disappearance and the absence of Vitoria on subsequent CCTV. Police have not disclosed the exact location or identity of the witness but have indicated the information is credible and consistent with other evidence, including the single-person activity captured in related footage around that time.

Family members, including Vitoria’s mother and partner, have spoken publicly about their anguish. They describe her as dedicated, passionate about mental health advocacy, and someone who maintained close daily contact. Her friend Liliane noted that Vitoria “was not herself” on the morning of March 3 and had been struggling with aspects of her mental health, though no specific crisis was detailed. The family has urged the public to check private CCTV, doorbell cameras, or any recollections from the Brightlingsea waterfront area.

Essex Police continue to appeal for information, emphasizing that even minor details could prove vital. Officers have knocked on doors, reviewed additional footage, and coordinated with maritime authorities to trace potential routes the boat may have taken. The investigation remains open, with no evidence of third-party involvement or foul play emerging so far. Specialists in underwater recovery and coastal patrols are involved, given the risks posed by cold March waters and tidal currents.

The case has garnered significant attention in both the UK and Brazil, with media coverage amplifying appeals and community support in Brightlingsea. Local residents have joined voluntary searches and shared posters featuring Vitoria in her blue turtleneck, coat, light blue jeans, black trainers, and glasses. The University of Essex has provided support to staff and students impacted by the news.

As the search enters its second week, the witness report of her rowing the boat has refocused efforts on maritime leads. Police stress the importance of public vigilance along the Essex coast, urging boat owners, fishermen, and beachgoers to report anything unusual. For Vitoria’s loved ones, the uncertainty persists amid hope that she will be found safe or that new information will provide answers.

The developments underscore the challenges of missing persons cases in transitional coastal environments, where movements can be rapid and hard to track. With the boat sighting now a key element, authorities remain committed to exhausting every avenue to resolve this distressing disappearance.