British Holidaymaker’s Tragic Death in Greece Confirmed as Drowning

Published: 08 September 2025
The English Chronicle Desk | The English Chronicle Online

The mystery surrounding the disappearance and subsequent death of British tourist Michele Bourda in Greece has finally reached a grim conclusion, with authorities confirming that the 59-year-old woman from Glasgow drowned. Michele had vanished on August 1 from Ofrynio beach in Kavala while on holiday with her husband Chris, who has since voiced his deep frustration at what he described as the Greek police’s slow and dismissive handling of the case.

According to reports, Michele had gone for a swim with her husband before they returned to their sun loungers for a rest. When Chris awoke, his wife was nowhere to be found. Her belongings—including her glasses, medication, and money—were left behind on the beach, raising immediate concerns. Despite this, Chris has claimed that police delayed filing a missing persons report and failed to launch a timely search operation, instead suggesting implausible scenarios, such as Michele having left with another man.

Almost a month later, Michele’s body was discovered on the small privately owned island of Fidonisi, around 40 kilometres from the site of her disappearance. Her remains were in a severely decomposed state, and her husband has described the moment of identification as harrowing. Forensic specialists confirmed that her death was the result of drowning, ruling out any evidence of foul play. Forensic scientist Nikos Kifnidis said her swimsuit and a surgical scar were critical in establishing her identity. “There were no other injuries. I have concluded her death was a result of drowning in the water,” he stated.

Chris, 66, who had been on a two-week holiday with his wife, said the discovery was both devastating and unsurprising. “I was expecting this, but the problem is the harbour police did not start their search until late at night. They said they couldn’t find her, that she had disappeared with an unknown man, but this was rubbish. She would not have left without her glasses, her money, or her medication,” he told MailOnline. He added that it should never have taken authorities three hours to prepare a missing persons report before beginning the search.

Recounting his wife’s final hours, Chris said Michele had seemed “quite happy” on the day she disappeared. They had shared a short swim in the sea, ordered crepes, and planned to nap in the sun. Tragically, while he fell asleep, Michele vanished. Her history of depression and anxiety over the years, including a previous disappearance during a difficult period in London, has been acknowledged, but Chris insists she had been recovering in recent months and was in positive spirits during their trip.

The grieving husband also expressed anger at the lack of seriousness with which his pleas were initially received. He recalled that when he first realised Michele was missing, he begged nearby staff and locals for help, only to be mocked and dismissed before finally persuading a shopkeeper to call the police. He further alleged that there were no visible police officers on the beach that day, a claim supported by another hotel guest.

A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.”

As Michele’s family comes to terms with the devastating loss, serious questions remain over the handling of the case by local authorities. For Chris Bourda, the tragedy is compounded not only by the death of his wife of many years, but also by the sense that crucial hours were lost at the outset, when urgent action might have made a difference.