Found Deceased Cambodia - Amelia Bambridge, 21, UK backpacker, Koh Rong, 23 Oct 2019

[JG123]

“Today we have searched again, and all of the island has now been searched, but we have no new information,” he said.

That's really worrying.

My initial thought was that she'd ended up in an isolated place and foul play had happened, then her body had been buried somewhere on the island. I then wondered how that would happen without any evidence of struggle in the general area. Now they've searched the whole island and not found anything, it means that this is going to be very, very hard to solve. The fact that she didn't take her bag is very strong evidence that she didn't go anywhere willingly, which would suggest that she's been taken under duress but as per the lack of evidence of a struggle, not violence.

On a side note, I find it quite confusing that in every photo posted of her by the media she looks completely different. I hope the local news and alerts are better at posting photos of how she actually looked at the time she went missing. This could be 5 different people:

 

[jamjim]

Amelia Bambridge: Specialist dog to help search for missing British backpacker in Cambodia

 

[Wowno17]

I'm wondering if she had a dodgy drink and felt sick and went to throw up and somehow ended up in the sea maybe after passing out. I know people say her body should have come back up but it may be snagged on something. Very sad and strange case.

 

[Mersault]

On a side note, I find it quite confusing that in every photo posted of her by the media she looks completely different. I hope the local news and alerts are better at posting photos of how she actually looked at the time she went missing. This could be 5 different people:

The two on the left are 4/5 years old (from Instagram) and the new one on the right looks like a prom photo (from a new relative, an aunt) so is probably 6 years old. Considering they span an age gap from 15 to 21 it's not surprising she looks different.

The two middle ones are recent and actually look like her in her Cambodian photos and CCTV footage - a more geeky and less girly aesthetic, rounder-faced with natural hair and less make-up.

You're right that she does look different in them but I guess the press are just lifting photos from wherever they can (and the ones in which she looks younger / more made-up are probably better clickbait for the tabloids). The immediate family and missing posters use recent photos.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Her aunt fears Amelia was abducted and brought into the world of human trafficking - likened her disappearance to that of Natalee Holloway.

Amelia Bambridge missing in Cambodia, aunt pleads for help from valley

“I have a feeling that she is alive, and I'm going to hold on to that. If she is alive, I hope that somebody will just release her.”

Missing backpacker Amelia Bambridge 'held captive by traffickers,' aunt fears

 

[Mersault]

Nuon Bunthol, governor of Koh Rong city: "We checked one shop’s CCTV camera footage and saw her walking away [from the beach], but not coming back,” he added. “We are now having difficulties with this situation. If she drowned, her body would eventually float, but she’s still missing.
Rescue workers continue search for Amelia Bambridge - Khmer Times

Edit: I wonder whether Amelia was carrying her purple bag when she was walking away from the beach?

Hmm this IS interesting. As far as I can see, there aren't any shops directly by Police Beach; they're all in Kaoh Touch village which is 400m North, and on her walk home.

Was she with someone? Was she being followed? Did she have her bag with her, which would suggest someone else took it back and planted it at the beach?

Perhaps the police do have more leads than they're revealing at the moment?

 

[Mersault]

VIDEO: Police question dozens as hope fades for Bambridge’s rescue - Khmer Times

Major General Chuon Narin, provincial police chief, said police have so far questioned 20 people as part of their investigation.

“We invited them for questioning about the missing British woman,” he said. “Only two remain for questioning; the others were allowed to go home.”

Looks like the Daily Mail line on six being arrested isn't true; only two are still in police custody and they haven't been charged with anything.

 

[zecats]

I'm wondering if she had a dodgy drink and felt sick and went to throw up and somehow ended up in the sea maybe after passing out. I know people say her body should have come back up but it may be snagged on something. Very sad and strange case.

That's what I asked in a post upthread. Especially finding her bag on the rocks. It can't be 100% definite her body would be found if she fell/went into the water. It's a fairly large body of water surrounding Koh Rong. It is the ocean after all, or at least the gulf. I assume it drops off eventually and also there are tides. JMO

 

[Chiatos]

Here is a youtube film of a hike from Koah Touch Village to Police Beach. Seems to be a hike of about 10 minutes.

The path is very wide and the last part is even paved. Local people sitting along the path, selling their products.

The path continues beyond Police Beach to a kind of small dock, passing by all kind of man-made stuff:

The path leads to the small dock, perhaps 5 minutes walk from Police Beach:

The building at the dock (curtains visible in the windows):

An overview of Police Beach and the small dock that is connected to a dirt road:

 

[jaejae]

Here is another report about this case:

Amelia's aunt fears Cambodian human traffickers snatched missing backpacker

Another report:

Amelia Bambridge: Father of missing backpacker fears she's been kidnapped - CNN

Another recent report:

Missing Amelia Bambridge's family slam Foreign Office for 'lack of support'

Missing Amelia Bambridge: Cambodian police quiz six men

 

[Mersault]

Her aunt fears Amelia was abducted and brought into the world of human trafficking - likened her disappearance to that of Natalee Holloway.

Amelia Bambridge missing in Cambodia, aunt pleads for help from valley

“I have a feeling that she is alive, and I'm going to hold on to that. If she is alive, I hope that somebody will just release her.”

Missing backpacker Amelia Bambridge 'held captive by traffickers,' aunt fears

I feel for Amelia's family but that's laughably unlikely. There are hundreds of Vietnamese, Khmer and Thai women in prostitution, as well as some Western women, in nearby Sihanoukville. The vast majority of the human trafficking done in Cambodia is of children. Kidnapping a wealthy, white, instantly recognisable backpacker in her 20s would be a ridiculous business idea.

 

[Hjp]

It appears Amelia's aunt also agrees with the proposition that she may have been snatched on the beach and had somehow boarded a boat headed for the mainland.

Aunt of Amelia Bambridge says she fears the British backpacker is being held by human traffickers | Daily Mail Online

Perhaps she wanted to go home and approached, or was falsely lured by a gang acting as a fake water taxi corp that told her that they would take her a few miles up the coast, or maybe she was attacked and forced to board the vessel.

The problem is that she could be anywhere by now, she may not even be in Cambodia at all. Both the Vietnamese or Thai borders is not far from Koh Rong and both could be entered illegally by sea under the cover of darkness

An additional problem is if she is alive she doesn't have anything. No ID, no money, no nothing. She would be dependent on whoever is holding her.

If its not impossible then its possible. I am not ready to dismiss such an idea until we get new leads that suggest otherwise.

 

[Sarahlou]

I feel for Amelia's family but that's laughably unlikely. There are hundreds of Vietnamese, Khmer and Thai women in prostitution, as well as some Western women, in nearby Sihanoukville. The vast majority of the human trafficking done in Cambodia is of children. Kidnapping a wealthy, white, instantly recognisable backpacker in her 20s would be a ridiculous business idea.

I think they probably know it's not the case but they want to believe any situation that means she could still be alive. JMO

 

[Mersault]

I think they probably know it's not the case but they want to believe any situation that means she could still be alive. JMO

Well, this aunt seems to think it's actually likely:

'I think there is a very high possibility that she is in captivity,' Miss Bambridge's aunt said. 'I believe that she was abducted, and there's a good possibility that it is for human trafficking.'

Can't blame her for clinging to hope though. I also think it's a pretty common American response from other investigations, and this is an aunt that lives in Las Vegas.

 

[Ben_Bowler98]

The Grace Millane case was the case that drew me to this forum as it really got to me. We got answers quite swiftly but I fear that may not be the case here...:/

 

[JerseyGirl]

The Grace Millane case was the case that drew me to this forum as it really got to me. We got answers quite swiftly but I fear that may not be the case here...:/

Grace's disappearance in New Zealand and the laws and urbanized area is a far cry from Cambodia.

I wouldn't compare the two.

 

[Ben_Bowler98]

Grace's disappearance in New Zealand and the laws and urbanized area is a far cry from Cambodia.

I wouldn't compare the two.

My apologies. I just meant personally that’s the first case I ever followed on Websleuths and I just fear answers won’t come as swiftly which is understandable for the reasons you stated.

 

[Rosiebones]

What are the drinking water sources for these islands, wells or catch tanks? Also what is the sewage system? Are they holding tanks, or septic systems?
What I am really asking is, are there above or below ground tanks her body could have been dropped into?

 

[Mersault]

Police fear missing backpacker drowned

"Six men who work at restaurants, hotels and guesthouses on the island were questioned and released without charge on Tuesday."

 

[iQuill]

I’m curious about how she became disengaged from her ‘sack/bag’. She seemed to be wearing it across her body in all photos and it is exactly designed for that purpose. I can’t imagine a scenario where she would remove it ... except for one... and I don’t want to think about that right now.

Even if she felt woozy and sat down on the rock...and suddenly needed to vomit it is unlikely that she would remove it first, maybe just slide it around to her back. And if she was attacked I doubt the perpetrator would remove it unless he intended to steal it. I just can’t think of any reason for her or anyone to remove it and place it on the rock ... unless they intended for it to be found ... but why?