BRITISH STUDENT, 23, VANISHES AFTER LISBON PARTY BOAT — PHONE LOCATION FREEZES AS FAMILY FEARS HE WAS TAKEN

A British university student disappeared during a family holiday in Lisbon after attending a late-night party boat — and now his family fears he may have been taken.

Julian Amaral, 23, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, vanished after attending the Vida De Jovem boat party with his 24-year-old cousin.

Days later, there is still no sign of him.

His family is desperate for answers.

And one strange detail has left them particularly worried: Julian’s phone location reportedly froze at almost exactly the moment he disappeared, appearing to place him in the middle of the ocean.

THE LAST MOMENTS ON THE PARTY BOAT

Julian had been enjoying a family holiday in Lisbon when he decided to attend the white-themed Vida De Jovem party boat.

The vessel left Lisbon at around 7 p.m. and was due to return around midnight.

Julian was with his cousin throughout the evening.

But shortly before the boat returned to shore, something changed.

At around 11:25 p.m., Julian told his cousin that he was going to the toilet.

He reportedly headed downstairs toward a basement urinal.

He never came back.

His cousin initially continued socializing, unaware that Julian had disappeared.

By the time the boat was approaching the dock, he realized his cousin had been missing for some time.

A frantic search began.

THEN HIS PHONE LOCATION STOPPED

One of the most unsettling details came from Julian’s phone.

His location reportedly froze at almost exactly the same time he told his cousin he was going to the toilet.

The location appeared to show him in the middle of the water.

But investigators have not established that Julian actually entered the river.

That distinction is crucial.

A phone location can be inaccurate or fail to update properly, particularly around water or when a device loses connection.

Police therefore have to establish what happened independently of the phone data.

WITNESSES SAY THEY SAW HIM LEAVE

Julian’s disappearance became even more confusing after witnesses reportedly told the family they had seen him get off the boat.

Two security guards were among those who allegedly saw him disembark when the vessel reached Lisbon.

Another witness reportedly contacted Julian’s sister and said she had spoken to him and also saw him leave the boat.

Police searched the vessel but found no trace of him.

That has left investigators trying to reconstruct the crucial minutes between Julian leaving the boat and disappearing from view.

HIS FAMILY SEARCHED THROUGH THE NIGHT

Julian’s relatives immediately began searching the area.

They checked bars, nightclubs, restaurants and nearby streets.

One of their first stops was Docks, a bar where boat-party crowds often gather after returning to shore.

But Julian was nowhere to be found.

After around an hour, the family contacted police.

Authorities also checked nearby hospitals as part of the search.

The family now plans to repeat those checks themselves as they continue trying to find him.

HIS SISTER FEARS HE MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN

Julian’s sister Jennifer Amaral, 34, has spoken publicly about her fears.

She believes someone may have taken her brother.

Her concern is partly based on the fact that Julian does not speak Portuguese and was unfamiliar with Lisbon.

But this remains a family theory.

There is currently no public confirmation that Julian was abducted, and investigators have not established exactly what happened to him.

For his relatives, however, the uncertainty is becoming unbearable.

Jennifer described Julian as kind-hearted, friendly and extremely personable.

She said he has a bright future ahead of him and is deeply loved by his family.

His nieces and nephews are also reportedly struggling with his disappearance.

POLICE SEARCH THE TAGUS

Portuguese maritime police have now joined the search.

Authorities are searching along the Tagus River for any sign of Julian.

The search has added another dimension to the investigation, particularly because of the reported phone location.

However, local reports indicate there was initially no confirmed evidence that Julian had fallen into the water, meaning divers were not immediately deployed.

Investigators are therefore facing several unanswered possibilities.

Did Julian leave the dock alone?

Did something happen to him after he left the boat?

Did he become lost in an unfamiliar city?

Or did someone else become involved?

At this stage, none of those possibilities has been confirmed.

THE CASE HAS ESCALATED

The disappearance has now moved beyond a simple missing-person search.

According to reports, after the first 24 hours, the case was escalated into a criminal investigation.

That does not mean authorities have concluded that Julian was taken.

Rather, it reflects the seriousness and unexplained nature of his disappearance.

Police are continuing to gather witness accounts and examine the timeline surrounding his last known movements.

A FAMILY WAITING FOR ONE PHONE CALL

For Julian’s relatives, every hour brings more uncertainty.

He went out for an evening with his cousin.

He was expected to return.

Instead, somewhere between a party boat, a Lisbon dock and the streets beyond it, he disappeared.

His family now wants one thing above everything else: information.

They are urging anyone who may have seen Julian after he left the boat to come forward.

At the time of the latest reports, there has been no confirmed sighting that has brought him home.

And the search continues.

For a family who expected a holiday memory to end with everyone returning safely, Lisbon has instead become the place where they are desperately searching for a missing son, brother and uncle.