- In the Amazon rainforest, two bodies were discovered ‘attached to a tree.’
- The missing British journalist and a Brazilian indigenous expert, were being searched.
- Personal things belonging to them have been discovered, according to the Brazilian Federal Police.
In the Amazon rainforest, two bodies were discovered ‘attached to a tree’ in the search for a missing British journalist and a Brazilian indigenous expert.
Dom Phillips, 57, and Bruno Pereira, 41, went missing a week ago while on a reporting mission in western Brazil.
In a heartbreaking phone call from the Brazilian ambassador to the UK today, Mr. Phillips’ family was informed that two bodies had been discovered.
‘He didn’t explain the area and simply claimed it was in the rainforest,’ Phillips’ brother-in-law Paul Sherwood told The Guardian. ‘He said they were tied to a tree and they hadn’t been identified yet.’
Read more: Human remains discovered in hunt for a missing British journalist in Amazon
‘He indicated they would do an identification when it was light, or when it was possible.’
Mr. Phillips’ wife, Alessandra, also verified to Brazilian journalist André Trigueiro that two remains had been recovered.
However, these reports were disputed by Brazilian police on Monday, causing confusion.
The federal police said in a statement that “the information being spread that the bodies of Mr. Bruno Pereira and Mr. Dom Phillips had been located is without validity.”
‘Biological materials and personal belongings of the missing males were discovered and are being analyzed, as previously indicated. The family and the media will be notified as soon as any discoveries are made.’
Pelado, Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, 41, was previously listed as a suspect and arrested for allegedly carrying a pistol without a permit, a frequent practice in the region.
Officers also discovered organic stuff in the river that appeared to be human-made. The materials are now being examined.
Mr. Phillips’ family has stated that their hopes of finding him alive have dwindled.
Read more: British journalist, indigenous expert missing in Brazil
‘They are no longer with us,’ his mother-in-law stated on Instagram in a devastating post. With a grateful embrace, Mother Nature has snatched them away.
‘The stuff has been undone and assimilated into the earth they so revered.’
‘Their spirits have been joined by the souls of so many others who have given their lives in defense of the rainforest and Indigenous peoples.’
‘Today, they are a part of an enormous and pulsating life energy that emerges from this vast vegetation in Brazil’s heart.’
Mr. Phillips’ wife is believed to have re-posted the comment and agreed with it.
On the 5th of June, the two men were last spotted near the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory.
Personal things belonging to them have been discovered, according to the Brazilian Federal Police.
A bag and a pair of boots belonging to Mr. Phillips were discovered, as well as a health card, black jeans, a black sandal, and a pair of boots belonging to Mr. Pereira.
Read more: Fisherman who saw missing British journalist arrested on weapons charge
