Body of missing backpacker Amelia Bambridge found at sea, police say

The heartbroken brother of British backpacker Amelia Bambridge says he’s sorry he couldn’t bring his little sister home from Cambodia alive.

The body of a 21-year-old British backpacker has been found floating at sea more than a week after she went missing from a Cambodian island, police say.

Amelia Bambridge was discovered in waters near the Thai border, said Chuon Narin, police chief of Preah Sihanouk province.

“We found the body of the missing British woman,” Mr Narin said, adding it would be taken to nearby Sihanoukville.

He did not speculate on what happened to her after she disappeared from a beach party on October 24, but earlier this week said she may have drowned.

Amelia Bambridge went missing after a beach party. Picture: Supplied

Police said she may have drowned. Picture: Supplied

Her brother Harry Bambridge confirmed on Facebook that he had identified body.

“It’s my little sister Amelia,” he wrote.

“I’m so sorry to all her friends and family there’s nothing more I wanted then to bring her back alive” he said.

“I’m sorry to you Amelia Bambridge, the round is on me when we meet again in heaven.”

The discovery brings to a tragic end a desperate search involving more than 100 members of the police, army, navy and Ms Bambridge’s relatives.

Ms Bambridge had befriended other travellers and the alarm was raised after she did not check out of her hostel following a party that went into the early hours on the beach in Koh Rong, an island popular with backpackers and full of budget guesthouses and bars.

Police later found her bag and phone in the area where she was last seen around 3:30am. Her passport was found in the hostel room where she had been staying.

Tourists walk along beach houses in Koh Rong. Picture: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP

Ms Bambridge’s father Phil (centre) and his family met with the governor of Koh Rong City Noun Bunthol. Picture: AP Photo/Heng Sinith

Her family members scrambled to the island to help with the investigation and were also active on social media asking travellers for possible clues.

“You know, it’s a party. It’s not that busy. There’s plenty of staff there. One minute she’s there and next she’s gone,” Harry told reporters.

Divers searched the waters and others combed the jungle, but for days nothing substantive was found.

The mystery deepened after police held six men for questioning but they were found not to be involved and released.

Local authorities combed the jungle for Amy Bambridge. Picture: Sihanoukville province Authority Police via AP

CAMBODIA GENERALLY SAFE FOR TOURISTS

Koh Rong is a two-hour boat ride from the coast and draws budget travellers with its cheap accommodation, laid-back beach bars and idyllic sunsets.

But it has also undergone development in recent years in keeping with a construction and casino boom in nearby Sihanoukville.

Cambodia has long been a stop for tourists travelling around Southeast Asia. Though generally safe, crimes involving foreigners have grabbed headlines in the past.

This month a Cambodian court charged three men with gang-raping a French tourist in the coastal province of Kampot after offering her a ride in their car.

In 2013, Kampot town was rocked by the discovery of the mutilated body of a 25-year-old Frenchwoman floating in a river.

A Belgian was charged with the alleged rape and murder of the woman, but released on bail due to a lack of evidence.