THE father of missing Brit Charlotte Peet has spoken out about how the trail went cold in the search for the journalist who vanished in Brazil.
Charlotte was last seen in São Paulo 11 days ago and was reported missing by her mother on February 8.
When the 32-year-old woman contacted a friend in Rio de Janeiro, she mentioned her plans to travel there but expressed a need for accommodation which her friend was unable to provide.
Days later, Charlotte’s family reached out to the friend after losing contact and they subsequently reported her missing.
The British Embassy in Brazil is actively assisting Charlotte’s family and collaborating with local authorities. Her father, Derek Peet, expressed his deep worry in an interview with Sky News, stating that he is extremely concerned about the situation.
He claimed that his daughter flew to Brazil where she had worked as a freelance journalist without telling her family.
Mr Peet said: “I wouldn’t say that it was normal, there was something on her mind obviously otherwise she would have let us know.”
“She was then traced to Gatwick Airport and was found to have boarded a plane to Sao Paulo and then the trail went cold.
Derek Peet shared, “The situation is very concerning, and I am at a loss for words. We are going through a tough time trying to understand what is happening and how to deal with it.”
Her family have provided investigators with her flight information, bank details, and a copy of her passport to assist in the desperate search.
But detectives have said that they are not ruling out the possibility that she has deliberately cut herself off from friends and family.
According to The Mirror, investigators have revealed that her mobile phone is still switched on but calls are not being answered.
Officers from Rio de Janeiro’s tourist police department (DEAT) reportedly made numerous calls to her phone, which rang out, suggesting her phone had been recharged.
Charlotte’s LinkedIn page says she worked as a foreign correspondent in Brazil over two years ago for news outlets including Al Jazeera and The Times.
The ACIE, an association for foreign correspondents working in Brazil, is concerned for Charlotte and has expressed sympathy to her family.
“The ACIE and its board of directors call on the competent authorities to intensify the search in order to find the British journalist as soon as possible,” a statement on behalf of its president Edmar Figueiredo and its board of directors said.
Charlotte briefly returned to London, reportedly at the request of her family, but flew back to Brazil in November 2024.
She was last known to be in São Paulo before messaging her friend in Rio and going missing.
The friend, a woman who met Charlotte two years ago, told police she was unable to help her because her house was full, reports local outlet Folha de São Paulo.
Charlotte’s disappearance was initially registered with police in Rio but was transferred to São Paulo when it was discovered that she was last seen there.
Regional officials confirmed: “The case is being investigated by the 5th Missing Persons Division of the State Department of Homicides And Personal Protection (DHPP).”
Authorities have not revealed where Charlotte was staying before she disappeared.
Police say investigations are ongoing as they work to track her movements and determine what happened.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has been reported as missing in Brazil and are in contact with the local authorities.”
On Tuesday night, ACIE urged authorities to step up their search efforts, admitting it was “worried” about Charlotte’s disappearance.
