New searches related to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are scheduled to begin in Portugal on Tuesday, according to reports.
Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007 at the age of three while vacationing with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Her parents had left her sleeping in their holiday apartment with her younger twin siblings while they dined nearby.
According to The Sun, the renewed search efforts will employ ground-penetrating radar to examine trenches near the McCann family’s resort accommodations.
A spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police stated, “We are aware of the searches being carried out by the BKA (German federal police) in Portugal as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.”
“The Metropolitan Police Service is not present at the search, we will support our international colleagues where necessary.”
Reports indicate that approximately 30 German police officers, including forensic specialists, will commence the search operation on Tuesday. Portuguese police will also be present at the site.
On Monday, Portuguese police reportedly blocked access to dirt roads within the search area. Tents have been erected in the Atalaia area, close to a cottage formerly occupied by Christian Brueckner, identified by German prosecutors as the primary suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.
Brueckner is currently imprisoned in Germany, serving a seven-year sentence for the 2005 rape of an elderly woman in Praia da Luz. He has consistently denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
German authorities have confirmed that they are receiving cooperation from Portuguese law enforcement. The Portuguese police have stated that the searches, conducted under a European investigation order, will take place between June 2nd and 6th in the municipality of Lagos.
Any evidence collected by the Policia Judiciaria will be transferred to the German federal police.
The last search in Portugal took place in 2023 near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz.
Brueckner lived in the area between 2000 and 2017. Photographs and videos taken near the reservoir showed him in the vicinity.
The reservoir had been searched previously in 2008, after Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia hired specialist divers based on information he claimed to have received from criminal contacts suggesting Madeleine’s body was located there.
British police were granted permission to search scrubland near the location of Madeleine’s disappearance in 2014.
Last month, Madeleine’s family commemorated the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, remembering her as “beautiful and unique” ahead of her 22nd birthday and reiterating their commitment to the ongoing search.
A statement released by her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, emphasized their unwavering determination to “leave no stone unturned,” despite the years passing quickly and the lack of significant news. “We will do our utmost to achieve this,” they stated.
In April, the UK government approved an additional £100,000 (€118,000) in funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine’s disappearance.
