The body believed to be that of Edna Mmbali Ombakho, a 31-year-old Kenyan master’s student, has been discovered in water in the United Kingdom, weeks after she was reported missing. The discovery was made in Wraysbury in Berkshire, during search operations supported by specialist teams, police said, and formal identification was yet to be completed at the time of the report.

Thames Valley Police confirmed that the body was found on 8 March 2026, following a search supported by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey Lowland Search and Rescue team. Officers strongly believe the remains to be those of the missing woman who had been studying for her MSc at York St John University.

Ms Ombakho, who came from Kitale in Kenya, was last seen on 1 February when she set out for a walk from her home in Wraysbury, where she had been living while pursuing her studies. Her absence of contact with her family soon raised alarm, prompting a missing person report and widespread appeals for information.

In a statement, police said,

“Formal identification of the woman has not yet taken place, but it is believed to be missing woman Edna, aged 31, from Wraysbury, who was reported missing on 1 February 2026. Edna’s next of kin have been informed.”

The disappearance had drawn support from human rights organisations, members of the Kenyan diaspora in the UK, and the Kenya High Commission, as well as appeals by relatives for anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts to come forward.Her family described her as a soft-spoken individual who was always in regular contact with loved ones back home before she vanished. Prior to learning of her death, family members had organised virtual prayer meetings in hope of her safe return.

UK authorities have not yet released the cause of death, and inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding her passing. Meanwhile, relatives and friends have been left grieving as they await further updates.