Madeleine McCann: New search launched in Portugal as prime suspect's release date approaches

A fresh search for Madeleine McCann is being launched in Portugal—this time focused on the very region where she vanished in 2007. German authorities, racing against the clock before their prime suspect, Christian Brueckner, who reportedly confessed to abducting the girl, potentially walks free, have triggered the operation.

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With UK police observing from the sidelines, Portuguese officers are preparing to dig—again—between Praia da Luz and a house where Brueckner once lived. Could this finally lead to the answers the McCann family has long sought?

Fresh search to begin in Praia da Luz area

In a renewed push for evidence, Portuguese police have begun executing a European Investigation Order between 2 and 6 June in the Lagos Municipality, as confirmed by Reuters. The move follows a request from German authorities based in Braunschweig, who formally named Christian Brueckner as the official suspect back in 2022.

According to The Sun, the new effort will be land-based and focus on the area between Praia da Luz—where Madeleine vanished on 3 May 2007—and one of Brueckner’s former homes. A Portuguese police source said:

They will be land searches only. The main objective is to look for any signs of Madeleine’s body.

Search tents were spotted early, and preparations began even before the official start. The operation includes German and Portuguese authorities, but not the UK’s Metropolitan Police, who released a statement saying:

The MPS is not present at the search, we will support our international colleagues where necessary.

This latest development comes just two years after the last operation in Portugal, which took place at the Arade Dam—a location Brueckner once described as his ‘little paradise’. Despite days of searching, nothing was found.

Brueckner’s pending release

The timing of the search is not a coincidence. Brueckner, currently serving a seven-year sentence in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman, is due for release in September. Investigators reportedly fear that he may flee once free, potentially complicating any future legal action.

A source told The Sun:

The clock is against the case here and investigators do not want to see Brueckner walk free.

This urgency is reportedly why German authorities have asked for expanded cooperation and swift action.

With roughly 18 weeks left until Brueckner could be released, pressure is mounting on British police to revive their own live investigation into the case. According to The Sun, German officials are ready to hand over 20,000 pages of translated evidence should the UK decide to rejoin the investigation actively.

While official figures have not been disclosed, it is believed that the latest search operation has received additional funding to cover resources including search equipment, forensic experts, and personnel coordination.

What we know so far about the disappearance

Madeleine McCann disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment at the Ocean Club Resort in Praia da Luz on the evening of 3 May 2007, just days before her fourth birthday. Despite widespread media attention, countless leads, and multiple international investigations, no trace of her has ever been found.

In 2020, German police declared they believed Madeleine was dead and named Brueckner as the likely perpetrator. Brueckner has consistently denied any involvement and has not been formally charged in connection with her disappearance.

Search operations over the years have been numerous. In 2014, British police conducted digs around Praia da Luz using body-detection dogs and radar. In 2020, three wells were searched. The most recent effort before the current one occurred in May 2023 at a reservoir, which also came up empty.

More disturbing details emerged recently through The Sun’s investigation, which aired on Channel 4. They reported that disturbing items were found at an abandoned property once owned by Brueckner, including children’s clothes, masks, chemicals, guns, and an undisclosed hard-drive of images believed to be key in the case.

When questioned in court last month, Brueckner reportedly gave a chilling smirk when asked whether he killed Madeleine.

The McCanns, who continue to hold out hope, shared a heartfelt message on the 18th anniversary of her disappearance. They wrote: