Draft:Dissapearance of sophia koetsier: Difference between revisions

{{subst:AfC submission/COI|LifeInTheTrees}}

Disappearance of Sophia Koetsier

The disappearance of Sophia Koetsier refers to the unsolved case of a 21-year-old Dutch medical student who vanished on 28 October 2015 while visiting Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda. Despite extensive search efforts and continued involvement by her family and international authorities, her fate remains unknown.

Background

Sophia Koetsier was a Dutch national from Amsterdam, studying medicine at the University of Amsterdam. In mid-2015, she began a medical internship at Lubaga Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. After completing her placement, she joined two fellow Dutch students on a safari tour through Uganda’s national parks.

Disappearance

On the evening of 28 October 2015, Koetsier arrived at the Student Education Centre in Murchison Falls National Park. After excusing herself to use a nearby latrine situated in a remote, wooded area near the Nile River, she failed to return. Her companions raised the alarm later that night, and park rangers commenced a search.

Search and Discovery

Initial search efforts recovered several personal items, including:

• A plastic water bottle for cleaning litter, known to belong to Koetsier, found several meters from the riverbank.
• A trail of belongings—one shoe, sunglasses, undergarments, and torn clothing—discovered at various distances along the shoreline, some items placed in trees approximately 4–5 meters high.

No signs of a struggle, predation, or human remains were found. Early explanations by Ugandan authorities suggested accidental drowning or an animal attack, though no forensic evidence confirmed these theories.

Investigation and Foundation

In 2016, Koetsier's family established the Find Sophia Foundation to support ongoing search efforts and raise awareness. Her mother, Marije Slijkerman, made repeated trips to Uganda and met with officials to press for renewed investigation.

Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Directorate reopened the case in 2022. In 2024, Dutch prosecutors also began an official review into the possibility of criminal involvement. In June 2025, Ugandan authorities brought charges against an unlicensed tour guide who had accompanied Koetsier earlier in her trip, alleging negligence in failing to respond to signs of distress.

Theories

Multiple theories have been proposed:

• Accidental death – The original theory cited possible drowning or an animal attack, though the absence of a body or blood evidence casts doubt, and it was not possible for her to reach the riverside alone in the evening.
• Mental health crisis – Her friends had called Sophie's mother shortly before her disappearance, concerning a clinical bipolar excitement episode, leading to unpredictable and extroverted manic behavior and for which medication was present.
• Foul play – The unusual placement of clothing and lack of forensic signs has led some to speculate about abduction or homicide. The belongings had been parsimoniously torn with a knife and laid around the river bank.

Legacy

As of 2025, Sophia Koetsier’s case remains unsolved. Her family continues to campaign for international attention and further inquiry.

See Also

• List of unsolved disappearances
• Murchison Falls National Park

External Links

• Find Sophia Foundation
• NOS Dutch news coverage
• Daily Monitor coverage