Chris Bourda and his wife Michele had been looking forward to a long, peaceful escape in Greece—a break from the grey Glasgow skies and the stresses of everyday life.
But what was meant to be a healing six-week stay at a beach resort in Kavala quickly turned into a living nightmare.
Michele vanished without a trace from the sands of Ofrynio beach, and Chris is now facing the unthinkable—searching alone, heartbroken, and feeling completely let down by local authorities.
A Normal Day That Took a Sudden Turn
It all seemed so ordinary. Chris and Michele, who’d been married for 36 years, took a short swim in the sea, ordered a couple of crepes, and then settled onto their sun loungers for a nap.
Michele had even suggested it: “Let’s have a nice sleep after the crepes,” she had said.
But Chris, 66, dozed off first—and when he woke up, Michele was gone.
Her towel, her shoes, her sunglasses—they were all still there. But Michele, 59, was nowhere in sight.
A Desperate Search Begins
Chris immediately sprang into action. He checked the toilets, ran to the water, asked nearby beachgoers if they had seen her—nothing.
One photo from another group showed them eating crepes just moments before she vanished.
When Chris approached a waiter for help, the response was shockingly casual—the man laughed.
It was only after Chris explained Michele’s mental health history that the seriousness sank in.
A local shopkeeper finally called the police—but even then, Chris says it took two hours for officers to arrive.
“The Police Didn’t Care,” Says Heartbroken Husband
Chris didn’t mince words about his disappointment with the Greek police.
He says not a single officer stepped onto the beach the day Michele disappeared. No immediate search, no urgency.
Just a patrol car occasionally driving by, never stopping, never getting out.
Worse still, he claims they haven’t been using drones, dogs, or even helicopters.
The only boat being used, he says, is operated during early mornings or late evenings—so tourists don’t get “worried.”
Chris believes the authorities are downplaying the danger to protect the tourism industry.
Sleepless Nights and a Solo Search
Since Michele disappeared, Chris has barely slept.
He’s searched relentlessly—scouring beaches, bushes, olive groves, even abandoned buildings and hillsides. “One person alone can only do so much,” he said.
His frustration deepened when police told him they couldn’t deploy more resources because “it’s a vast area.”
Chris replied, “If you think she’s alive, then why aren’t you using everything you’ve got?”
A History of Mental Health Struggles
Michele, a former BT and council employee, had struggled with depression and anxiety on and off for years.
In fact, she had disappeared once before while living in London after losing her job—but was quickly found thanks to police action.
In recent months, she had been improving. The couple had just returned from visiting Chris’s family in Germany and were hoping for a peaceful time by the sea.
Neighbours describe her as gentle, outdoorsy, and adventurous, often hiking and wild swimming with Chris.
A Failing System and an Emotional Appeal
Chris says the lack of proper infrastructure for missing persons in tourist hotspots like Kavala is alarming.
“They have 40 million tourists coming here every year and yet no real system for emergencies like this,” he said.
He had to file a formal complaint with the British Embassy in Athens, and the UK Foreign Office has since promised that a specialist volunteer search team is on its way. But time is slipping by.
No Clothing, No Medication, No Trace
Chris fears his wife, who is without shoes, glasses, or her medication, may be hiding or disoriented.
“Tomorrow it’ll be a week since she disappeared.
Someone must’ve helped her, given her food or water.”
A sports instructor initially told police he’d seen a woman resembling Michele swimming far out and had warned her.
But just days later, he withdrew his statement. The lack of witnesses and missing leads have only deepened Chris’s despair.
“How can no one see or hear anything?” he asked. “It just doesn’t add up.”
Last Known Sighting and Public Warning
The last confirmed image of Michele shows her eating crepes with Chris at the beach café.
She was wearing a rhinestone-styled beaded swimsuit, yellow beach shoes, and red sunglasses.
She’s 5ft 6in, slim, with shoulder-length hair and blue eyes.
A Silver Alert was eventually issued by Lifeline Hellas, warning the public that Michele may be in serious danger.
The 24/7 National SOS Line has been activated for any information.
A Wider Pattern of Missing Tourists
Michele’s disappearance comes amid a string of similar cases involving missing British tourists in Greece and elsewhere.
Just last month, a 60-year-old man vanished in Karpathos and another British man disappeared in Turkey, later found dead.
Chris now fears not just for his wife, but for future tourists.
“We always assume we’re safe—until something like this happens. Then you realise, you’re not.”