‘It breaks my heart’: Sister’s anguish as Amelia Bambridge found dead at sea
The 21-year-old from Worthing was last seen on the Cambodian island of Koh Rong on October 23.
The sister of missing UK backpacker Amelia Bambridge has spoken of the moment she received the “horrific confirmation” that her body had been found.
The 21-year-old, from Worthing, West Sussex, was last seen on the Cambodian island of Koh Rong late on October 23.
On Thursday her family confirmed that her body had been found at sea following days of searching.
She said: “I have had the most horrific confirmation that my sister Amelia Bambridge was found and she is no longer with us.
“It breaks my heart to let all my close family and friends know the horrendous outcome that we didn’t want.
“Now we have to get our Amelia back home to England so we can lay her beautiful soul to rest and to remember the wonderful life she lived.
“Thank you for all the support we’ve had, please continue to do all you can so we can get all our family home with Amelia safely.”
Miss Bambridge was reported missing after she failed to check out of her hotel on time, and staff at Police Beach, a private venue on the island, found her purple rucksack with her purse, phone and bank cards inside the following morning.
The family’s fundraising page on Facebook has raised nearly £17,000 to date.
Cambodia’s Deputy Navy Commander Tea Sokha told AP that the body had been spotted by a fisherman, who notified authorities.
He said it was identified by the clothing and tattoos, which matched photos of the woman taken on the night she disappeared.
The body was taken to Sihanoukville Referral Hospital in Cambodia’s main coastal city, Sihanoukville.
Mr Sokha said forensic experts would confirm the identification and examine the body for the cause of death.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with Amelia’s family at this extremely sad time, and we continue to do all we can to support them.
“Our staff in Cambodia and in the UK are providing bereavement advice and emotional support, and remain in close contact with the Cambodian authorities.”