Scuba divers join the search for missing British gap year backpacker Amelia Bambridge, 21

Amelia Bambridge, from Worthing, has disappeared while travelling alone through dense forests in Cambodia

The rucksack belonging to missing British gap year student Amelia Bambridge has been found. 

Amelia, 21, disappeared after attending a beach party on the popular tourist island of Koh Rong, Cambodia, on Wednesday night.

Police, scuba divers, government officials and volunteers joined the search today for the missing tourist. They were also using a drone to scour the dense jungle and coastline.

Amelia’s purple rucksack was pictured on rocks close to the shore where it was found after she disappeared in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Police also revealed her belongings were still in the bag, while her passport was at the hostel, a 40 minute walk from the beach where she was last seen.

The items in her bag included a small purse, several packs of over-the-counter medication, her mobile phone, a phone charger, headphones, bank cards, a watch, a lighter, a pen, a tourist SIM card, a small padlock, a nail file and a key ring.

The young solo female traveller, from Worthing, West Sussex, disappeared after a beach party on the popular tourist destination in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Amelia's purple backpack was pictured on rocks close to the shore where it was found after she disappeared in the early hours of Thursday morning

Amelia’s purple backpack was pictured on rocks close to the shore where it was found after she disappeared in the early hours of Thursday morning

The items in her bag included a small purse, several packs of over-the-counter medication, her mobile phone, a phone charger, headphones, bank cards, a watch, a lighter, a pen, a tourist SIM card, a small padlock, a nail file and a key ring

The items in her bag included a small purse, several packs of over-the-counter medication, her mobile phone, a phone charger, headphones, bank cards, a watch, a lighter, a pen, a tourist SIM card, a small padlock, a nail file and a key ring

Her worried mother Linda Schultes, 52, and other family have flown out to the area.

Today, local officials joined with coast guards, police, divers and volunteers who live on the island to scour the area in search of Amelia.

Scuba divers searched the waters around the island, some 130 miles (210km) from the capital Phnom Penh.

A drone was also being used to search the area from above.

Kouch Chamroeun, the Governor of Sihanoukville and General Thong Lim, Secretary General of the Cambodian Coastal Management and Development Committee, were pictured co-ordinating the search.

Police, scuba divers, government officials and volunteers joined the search today for the missing tourist

Police, scuba divers, government officials and volunteers joined the search today for the missing tourist

Authorities were also using a drone to scour the dense jungle and coastline

Authorities were also using a drone to scour the dense jungle and coastline

Her passport is still at the hostel where she was stayed, a 40-minute walk from the beach she disappeared from

Her passport is still at the hostel where she was stayed, a 40-minute walk from the beach she disappeared from

The backpacker was last seen at a part on ‘Police Beach’, 40 minute walk from her hostel. 

Amelia’s sister, Georgie, said the family was in touch with police and trying to stay strong as concerns grew.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: ‘We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia and are in close contact with the Cambodian police.’  

Linda Schultes, 52, is due to arrive on the island today hoping that her daughter has got ‘lost on the way back’ from the party. 

Ms Schultes was contacted by the manager of the Nest Beach Club hostel after Amelia failed to check out of the hostel.  

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: 'We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia and are in close contact with the Cambodian police'

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: ‘We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia and are in close contact with the Cambodian police’

Worried mother Linda Schultes, 52, has taken an emergency flight to the island to join a search party of concerned locals and police

Worried mother Linda Schultes, 52, has taken an emergency flight to the island to join a search party of concerned locals and police

Ms Schultes said: ‘This is very out of character, she is normally so organised.

‘I don’t know what to think. The police have confirmed she is missing – apparently the embassy is closed until Monday. 

‘There doesn’t seem to be any urgency. Her friend is still there as they were due to leave the island today, but she hasn’t left because Amelia is missing.’

Amelia’s brother, Harry, a former paratrooper, posted on Facebook: ‘For all the religious people can you please do me a big favour and pray for my sister Amelia Bambridge.

Amelia's family have posted a picture on her Instagram of the outfit they believe she was last seen in

Her mother said: 'I'm going to Bangkok, getting another flight to the country, then transport from the capital to the coastline'

Amelia’s family have posted a picture on her Instagram of the outfit they believe she was last seen in (left). Her mother (right) said: ‘I’m going to Bangkok, getting another flight to the country, then transport from the capital to the coastline’

‘I’m about to board a plane from LA as she’s been missing on her travels in Cambodia for over 48 hours now.

‘I’ve asked who ever might be up there, to look after her for just another 20 hours and her big brother will be there as soon as I can be.

Thanks for everyone who’s showed their support, especially to my family back home.’

The former Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form student was due to check out of her youth hostel at noon yesterday to leave the island later in the afternoon with a friend. 

She has been declared officially missing by local authorities. 

As she prepared to leave the family home in Worthing, Ms Schultes said: ‘I have got numbers of people to contact in Cambodia.

‘I’m going to Bangkok, getting another flight to the country, then transport from the capital to the coastline.

‘From there I will get a ferry, hopefully arriving at 2pm tomorrow afternoon local time.’ 

It is understood there are no lights on the path from Police Beach to the Nest Beach Club, which is 40 minutes away through thick forest.

Amelia Bambridge

Amelia Bambridge, 21, from Worthing, was travelling alone for the first time on the island of Koh Rong, south west of mainland Cambodia

Her mother, Linda Schultes, 52, is now taking an emergency flight to the island to join a search party of concerned locals and police

She was staying at a hostel, the Nest Beach Club, on a southern bay of the island. Her handbag - which had her purse, phone and bank cards in it - was found on a beach 40 minutes away where she had been at a party

She was staying at a hostel, the Nest Beach Club, on a southern bay of the island. Her handbag – which had her purse, phone and bank cards in it – was found on a beach 40 minutes away where she had been at a party

Her mother is hoping that Amelia, a former student at Bhasvic in Hove, got ‘lost on her way back’ and the search party will be able to find her.  

Amelia’s sister, Georgie Bambridge, 19, told the BBC that her relatives were in pieces and said that her sister was an integral part of the family. 

‘We need to be strong and we are trying to be really positive, but it’s the unknown,’ she said.  

During an earlier interview, Georgie said that Amelia would message the family whenever she had wifi.

She said: ‘She is strong minded, really sensible and very organised.

‘She spent the last year Googling solo female travelling, looking at pages and blogs and sorting out everything.

‘I’m just in shock, she has never done anything like this before.

‘I spoke to her Wednesday and she normally messages us every now and then, every time she got wifi.

Amelia was last seen on Police Beach, Koh Rong Island in Cambodia at a beach party. It is a 40-minute walk to her hostel at the Nest Beach Club

Amelia was last seen on Police Beach, Koh Rong Island in Cambodia at a beach party. It is a 40-minute walk to her hostel at the Nest Beach Club

Amelia's handbag, which had her purse, phone and bank cards in it, was found on the beach after a party held on Wednesday night

Her passport is still at the hostel, the Nest Beach Club

Amelia’s handbag, which had her purse, phone and bank cards in it, was found on the beach after a party held on Wednesday night. Her passport is still at the hostel, the Nest Beach Club 

Amelia and her mother Ms Schultes

Concerned family members have posted a comment on Amelia's Instagram page telling her followers that she was last seen wearing a tropical print shirt and describing her tattoos

Concerned family members have posted a comment on Amelia’s Instagram page telling her followers that she was last seen wearing a tropical print shirt and describing her tattoos. Left: Amelia and her mother, Ms Schultes

‘I told her to put loads of pictures online to see what she was up to. It’s horrendous but we need to be positive and she needs to be found.’

Amelia left the UK last month after completing an apprenticeship. 

Ryan Harris, 18, who was part of the group travelling the Asian country with the 21-year-old, raised the alarm.

He said that the operation into finding Amelia has now stepped up in to full gear. 

‘People are diving. People are checking the jungles and the beaches,’ he said. 

‘Police sent three search teams out, so they’re helping as well. It’s a whole island thing now. Everyone’s looking.’

Ryan moved on to another island with plans to link back up with Miss Bambridge later.   

He said: ‘She was one of the first people I met over here about a week ago.

‘I met her in Phnom Penh and we got the boat to Koh Rong, we all spent a few days together and met up with a few other people in a big group.

Ryan Harris, 18, who was part of the group travelling the Asian country with the 21-year-old, raised the alarm

Ryan Harris, 18, who was part of the group travelling the Asian country with the 21-year-old, raised the alarm

Cambodian police have been informed but Ryan said they had indicated nothing would be done until Miss Bambridge had been missing for 72 hours. Pictured is Ms Schultes

Ryan said: 'She was one of the first people I met over here about a week ago'

Cambodian police have been informed but Ryan said they had indicated nothing would be done until Miss Bambridge had been missing for 72 hours. He said: ‘She was one of the first people I met over here about a week ago’

‘We went on to a neighbouring island but she stayed there with another girl I know who had travelled with us on the boat over.

‘I then had to travel back to Koh Rong after leaving my passport at the hostel and when I got there two people told me she had gone missing.

‘I assumed she would turn up but I have since travelled another 12 hours on a bus to Siem Reap and she still has not been found. She is supposed to be in Siem Reap by now.

‘From my experience I would say it is out of character for her not to come back after a few hours and it is a small island.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia and are in close contact with the Cambodian police'

Amelia was last seen wearing a tropical print shirt. She has a cow tattoo on her forearm and two cat tattoos on her legs

‘Even if you go your separate ways after a few drinks you see people again ten or 20 minutes later. She should have come back by now.’

Ryan explained that the hostel held passports to ensure customers paid the bill but Amelia had not gone back for hers.

‘She hasn’t gone back for that or checked out which raises a red flag,’ he said.

Amelia was last seen wearing a tropical print shirt, according to the Lucie Blackman Trust.

She has a cow tattoo on her forearm and two cat tattoos on her legs.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘We are assisting the family of a British woman who has been reported missing in Cambodia and are in close contact with the Cambodian police.’

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