Madeleine McCann search resumes in Portugal as investigation enters 18th year
Searches for Madeleine McCann, who disappeared 18 years ago from an apartment complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal, have resumed. Portuguese and German authorities are focusing on disused buildings and wells in the municipality of Lagos, near Praia da Luz.
The investigation
Madeleine McCann was three years old when she vanished on May 3, 2007, while on holiday with her parents, sparking a Europe-wide police investigation. German investigators identified Christian Brückner as their prime suspect in 2020. Brückner, 48, is currently serving a sentence in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old American tourist in Portugal in 2005. He is scheduled for release in September, but this could be delayed until early 2026 if he fails to pay a fine.
The search site is approximately 3.5 miles from the Ocean Club resort, where the McCann family stayed. On Wednesday morning, numerous vehicles carrying uniformed and plainclothes personnel arrived at the site near Atalaia. Roads leading to the scrubland area have been closed since Monday, with teams clearing grass and vegetation. A Portuguese fire engine and German police vehicles were also present, and firefighters were seen draining a well.
The initial focus was on an abandoned farm with derelict buildings, empty bottles, and litter. A white van and a large blue tent served as the base of search operations. The area is situated in a tourist region, near a golf club and resort to the north and steep cliffs leading to the sea to the south, where the Fisherman's Trail hiking route is located.
Previous searches and suspect
The last search occurred two years ago around a reservoir northeast of the Ocean Club. Brückner, who lived in the area between 2000 and 2017, had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. German authorities suspect Brückner of murder and fear he may disappear after his release if not charged with new offenses. British police continue to treat the case as a missing persons investigation.
Brückner has consistently denied any involvement. German police have a European warrant, approved by Portuguese prosecutors, to conduct searches on private land, spanning 21 plots. Officials have not disclosed new information prompting this search, suggesting a final review of potential evidence locations. Portuguese authorities have named Brückner as a formal suspect and will share any seized evidence with German authorities.
Operation Grange
The Metropolitan Police, aware of the German-led searches in Portugal, continues its investigation, known as Operation Grange, ongoing since 2011 and costing around £13.3 million to date. On the night of Madeleine's disappearance, her parents were dining with friends at a nearby restaurant, leaving Madeleine and her siblings asleep in their apartment. Her mother, Kate, discovered her missing around 22:00.
A German documentary in 2022 indicated that Brückner occasionally worked at the Ocean Club as a handyman. German prosecutors have also linked his mobile phone data and a car sale to their case against him. Madeleine's parents marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance last month, reaffirming their determination to leave no stone unturned.
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