The search for the 18-year-old Ukrainian woman has been ongoing since July 5.
In Italy, in the municipality of Carovigno, 18-year-old Ukrainian Maria Bugaeva disappeared. She, along with her fellow students from the University of Bratislava, was doing an internship at a tourist establishment in the prefecture of Brindisi. This was reported on July 5 by the owners of the establishment in the village of Meditura.
Ansa and Il Messaggero report this.
Maria was last seen the day before, on Friday, July 4. CCTV cameras recorded her leaving the hotel complex and walking along a path towards the Torre Guaceto Nature Reserve, but she did not return for the night.
In the room where the student lived, her passport, mobile phone and a note with several phone numbers were found. According to employers and friends, Maria does not speak Italian well and did not report her intentions to leave the internship. It is also known that before her disappearance, she transferred money to her brother.
Law enforcement officers questioned the workers of the tourist complex and other students who had done an internship with Maria. The search for the girl continues, involving the police, carabinieri, firefighters, dog handlers, rescuers and civil defense volunteers. Drones and helicopters are used to inspect hard-to-reach places.
Carovigno Mayor Massimo Lanzilotti said the most likely cause of her disappearance was Maria's voluntary decision to leave the hotel complex, as investigators found no signs of violence.
According to Italian media, the day before her disappearance, the girl learned that her internship, which was supposed to end on July 6, would not be extended. The investigation is checking whether this influenced Maria's decision to leave her place of residence.
The girl's parents, who live in Ukraine, were informed of their daughter's disappearance. They receive up-to-date information through diplomatic channels.
Investigators are currently continuing to consider various versions of events. The search continues in the area of the nature reserve and nearby territories. Photos of Maria with a description of her appearance are being distributed on social networks to involve the public in the search.
Let us recall that earlier we wrote about how in France they tried to hold a “wedding” between a 22-year-old Briton and a 9-year-old child from Ukraine.
