Brazilian photographer Flávio de Castro Sousa, 36, has been missing in Paris, France, since last Tuesday (26), the date on which he was supposed to return to Brazil.
According to Flávio’s relatives, he had been in Paris since November 1st. The return flight would be on the 26th. The family says they were informed by the airline that check-in for the flight was done, but the photographer did not board.
The day after his disappearance, a friend of Flávio received a message on Instagram from a person named Alex, informing that, on the 26th, the Brazilian had had an accident and was hospitalized, but that he had been released from the health unit in same day.
The man who sent the message is French and would have met the photographer during the trip to Paris. In recent weeks, Flávio even published photos and videos with Alex. THE CNN contacted the boy, but has not yet received a response.
The family also informs that, on the 26th, Flávio requested an extension of his stay in the apartment where he was staying for another day. He would have gone to the property and, since then, he has not responded to any more messages.
In a press release, the family adds that, according to Alex, all of the Brazilian’s belongings were removed from the apartment, including his passport.
Call answered by a stranger
After his disappearance, Flávio’s mother tried to contact her son’s cell phone several times. In the early hours of the 28th, a stranger answered the phone. Because he didn’t speak Portuguese, this person passed his cell phone to a Brazilian who works in a restaurant in Paris.
This Brazilian, identified as Denis, “talked to his mother and explained that they found the cell phone in a plant pot, around 7 am on November 27th, at the restaurant door”, says the note sent by the family.
Authorities activated
With no news from the photographer, the family reports that they contacted the local police, the Brazilian embassy in France and the Federal Police. Flávio’s relatives are also asking for his name to be included on Interpol’s list of missing persons.
Flávio’s partner, Lucien Esteban, stated that he has not yet received any information regarding Flávio from the authorities.
A CNN He contacted the Federal Police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but has not yet received a response.
Social media posts
Flávio’s last posts on social media were made on November 25, one day before his disappearance.
In stories, he posted a photo of the Eiffel Tower, a postcard from Paris, with the song “Voyage Voyage”. He also published photos of other tourist attractions in the French capital, such as the Louvre Museum and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
He published a collection of photos and videos from his trip to Paris. The first post was on October 31st, when I was leaving for France.
Throughout the trip, he published records in which he appears with friends – including Alex, the Frenchman who contacted Flávio’s family after he disappeared. Last Friday (29), Alex published a message about the Brazilian’s disappearance.
