Honduras’ representative for the upcoming Miss World pageant has gone missing. The authorities are currently searching for Miss Honduras World Maria José Alvarado Muñoz and her sister Sofia. The two went missing on Thursday, November 13. According to the police, the family reported them missing on Saturday, November 15. The director of the pageant in Honduras, Eduardo Zablah, told reporters that the girls were last seen getting inside a vehicle after attending a friend’s birthday party in their hometown of Santa Barbara.
Police revealed that they are not yet treating the disappearance as a crime, but they have arrested the last four people who have seen the sisters including Sofia’s boyfriend. “Four people are under arrest. They include the owner of the party venue and Sofia Trinidad’s boyfriend. They are being investigated,” police chief Jose Coello said.
Reportan desaparición de Miss Honduras Mundo 2014 ➝http://t.co/u6vKy2FrGq pic.twitter.com/P22NlTjMXk
— Telemetro (@Telemetro) November 18, 2014
The women’s mother pleaded, “Open your hearts and understand my pain. There is an all-powerful God that sees everything and I hope you set them free.”
There is a feeling of anxiety regarding the case, considering that Honduras is one of the most dangerous places in the world. San Pedro Sula, around 30 miles from Santa Barbara, is considered the murder capital of the world. Over 1,200 killings a year have been reported and its murder rate surpasses that of North America and other larger cities in Central and South America.
The sisters disappeared just before Muñoz was scheduled to fly to London for Miss World 2014. The contestants from over 120 countries are set to arrive in London this week for the early rounds of the Miss World pageant. The final round will be held on December 14.
In a profile in the Miss World website, Muñoz describes herself as “an aspiring diplomat who enjoys playing volleyball and football in her spare time”. She won the Miss Honduras World title in April after beating 18 contestants.