Body found in search for Brit who vanished from boat party in Lisbon as cops say he may have fallen into river

A BRIT who vanished from a boat party in Lisbon has been found dead as the frantic search for the university student concludes. Julian Amaral, 23, disappeared during a white party aboard the Vida De Jovem after telling his cousin he was going to the toilet. Julian went missing aboard the Vida De Jovem vessel which means ‘life of a young person’ Credit: Supplied Portugal’s maritime police have deployed divers to search for the missing Brit Credit: Solarpix Police launched an urgent rescue operation, including divers who scoured the river for any sign of the missing Brit. Unconfirmed reports suggest cops had recovered CCTV footage showing the Brit university student falling into the river. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! But a few hours later, Julian’s sister Jennifer Amaral, 34, confirmed to The Sun: “They have found Julian. He is no longer with us.” Julian, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, was last seen at around 11.25pm on Wednesday while on holiday in Portugal with his family. Portuguese police chiefs initially believed Julian had left the boat when it docked back in Lisbon at around midnight. But his body was found on Sunday in the Tagus River, near the Liscont Terminal dock in Alcântara. Firefighters recovered the body from the water, and the health delegate pronounced the victim dead at the scene. The body has now been taken in for an autopsy. Most read in The Sun Julian had been enjoying the boat party with his family when he told his 24-year-old cousin, who was also on board, that he was popping to the toilet. With blaring Afrobeats music playing around them, his cousin thought nothing of it at the time. But when the boat returned to Lisbon shortly before midnight, he realised he had not seen Julian for some time. He began frantically searching the boat before contacting other members of the family in a panic. Cops are combing the Tagus River as they believe he fell into the water during the party Credit: Solarpix Julian spotted in a snap queuing to get into the all-white party on Wednesday Credit: Supplied The family raced to the dock and launched a desperate search of the surrounding area. Julian’s phone location also appeared to offer a crucial clue, with the location frozen at almost exactly the same time he had left his cousin. The phone was showing Julian’s location in the middle of the water. Drones and divers were subsequently deployed as the search shifted towards the Tagus. Before police focused on the drowning theory, Jennifer had feared her younger brother could have been kidnapped. In an exclusive interview with The Sun earlier in the search, she said: “I was so shocked when I found out about all of this. I really thought we would’ve found him by now! “My theory is that he’s been taken… this is definitely unprovoked. “He could have been an easy target because he doesn’t speak the language.” His sister Jennifer said police searched the boat but found no trace of her brother Credit: Supplied His devastated family raced to the boat on the night of his disappearance – but could not find him anywhere Credit: Supplied His family are asking the public for information on his whereabouts Credit: Supplied Julian’s phone location has been frozen from around the time he first went to the toilet Credit: Solarpix Jennifer had also previously made an emotional appeal on social media, describing Julian as her “baby” and the brother she could always depend on. She wrote: “He is the brother I laugh with, vibe to music with, definitely tell off the most lol, but also the brother that would do a two-hour journey to look after his niece because I’m sick. “He’s the brother that calls me for advice or to tell his secrets too. “He’s the brother that annoys me one second then we’re hugging and laughing the next.” In a heartbreaking message to Julian, Jennifer previously told The Sun: “He has such a bright future ahead of him and he is one of the friendliest people people you will ever meet. “He is the most kind-hearted person in my life. Just so bubbly and personable. “He is so loved, he’s got nieces and nephews who are hurting. “My mum is really hurting. We just want someone to come across him and say something to us. “We miss him and we love him and we just want him to be back safely.” Jennifer also wrote in her social media appeal: “To Julian, I love you so much bro. I miss you so much. I need you to be okay and to come back to us.” Comment now