"Brazil Police: Items Owned By Missing Men Found In Amazon"

"ATALAIA DO NORTE, Brazil — Search teams found a backpack, laptop and other personal items that belonged to Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira and freelance British journalist Dom Phillips, who went missing in a remote area of Brazil’s Amazon a week ago, Federal Police said Sunday night.

Phillips’ backpack was discovered Sunday afternoon tied to a tree that was half-submerged, a firefighter told reporters in Atalaia do Norte, the closest city to the search area, which is near the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory. It is the end of the rainy season in the region and part of the forest is flooded.

Officers with the Federal Police brought the items by boat to Atalaia do Norte later in the afternoon. In a statement a few hours later, they said they had identified the belongings of both missing men, such as Pereira’s health card and clothes.

A tarp from the boat used by the men was found Saturday by Matis volunteers, members of an Indigenous group of recent contact, one of them told The Associated Press."

Fabiano Maisonnave reports for the Associated Press June 13, 2022.

SEE ALSO:

"Police Tortured Suspect In Amazon Disappearance, Family Says" (AP)

"Hope of Finding Dom Phillips Alive Has Gone, Say Mother-In-Law And Wife" (Guardian)

Source: AP, 06/13/2022