French police searching for Spanish student missing since Thursday

The French authorities have opened an investigation in conjunction with the Spanish Civil Guard into the disappearance of a 22-year-old Spanish student who was on an Erasmus study year in Paris. The family and friends of Natalia Sánchez Uribe, who was studying Economy and Business at the Barcelona Autonomous University (UAB), have not heard from her since last Thursday.

For the last month, Sánchez Uribe had been expressing her concern to her friends that she was being followed and observed

Sources close to the investigation said that she had been in the French capital since September, where she was studying a course at the Sorbonne Economics School. She was due to conclude her studies there in two weeks.

According to the UAB, the youngster’s rucksack – which contained her cellphone and laptop – was located today, Tuesday. Friends of hers explained that these personal possessions appeared in a park close to the university.

One of these friends, who asked not to be identified, added that for the last month, Sánchez Uribe had been expressing her concern that she was being followed and observed. “She had been saying for a month that she felt that someone was following her, but we thought that she was exaggerating, because she has always been fearful, and as such we didn’t take much notice of her,” her friend said.

The QSD Foundation, which works to locate missing people, has put out a request via its Twitter account for help from the public to locate the student, who was seen for the last time on May 1. Since then she has not responded to cellphone calls. Sources said that her roommates reported her disappearance with the French police, and her parents – residents of the Balearic Island of Mallorca, but originally from Granada – have since traveled to Paris to keep up to date with the investigation.

According to QSD Global, the youngster – who is 1.62 meters tall, has dark skin, long brown hair and a nose piercing – lived in Paul Fort street, in district 14, near the Porte D’Orleans Metro station.

On the morning of her disappearance, she was helping a Spanish friend move house. After dropping off two suitcases, Sánchez Uribe said she would be back with a third, but never showed up again.