MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Worst feared as Argentine national goes missing in Brazil

Federico Bruni's van was found on the banks of the Do Ponche River

Brazilian Police keep looking for 32-year-old Argentine national Federico Bruni who went missing as he went on a tour in the São Bonifácio jungle. Bruni's pick-up truck and his dog have already been found.

On Jan. 27, Bruni contacted his family for the last time to let them know that he would be at the Pandang campsite near Florianópolis in the state of Santa Catarina but had gone camping on his own last Tuesday near the Do Ponche River. At that time, he mentioned that he would have a poor to non-existent mobile phone signal. After his belongings were found, authorities launched an investigation that included drones but had to be halted due to stormy weather.

“My brother told us on Monday that he was going to be at the campsite for three days so that we would not worry, since he was not going to have a signal to communicate. On Tuesday, they called us from the campsite to tell us that he was going to be in a nearby area camping”, Daniela Bruni -Federico's sister - told Argentine media.

Bruni's parents and other relatives have traveled to southern Brazil to join the search. After Jan. 27's contact “we were calm that he would not talk to us, but today the police contacted me from Brazil to tell us that his truck was there, his dog and all the documents were inside the truck, but he was not there,” Daniela also mentioned.

Brazilian investigators fear that the young man fell into the river and was then swept away by the current. “We are desperate,” she added while noting that it was not the first time her brother made this kind of trip. “He has already made trips like this and knows the area, but they suppose that maybe he went into the river and hit his head.” Hence, “we need a team that can enter the jungle,” she explained.

A resident of Vicente López on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Federico used to share pictures of his trips or images with his family. He is a football enthusiast with a passion for creative writing.

On Wednesday, local police found Bruni's truck on the banks of the Do Ponche river. Inside the vehicle were his documents and cell phone and, next to the truck, there was a tent, a deck chair, and his dog.