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New search for Madeleine McCann: hopes after 18 years!
German authorities are launching a new search in Portugal for Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in 2007.
New search for Madeleine McCann: hopes after 18 years!
On June 2, 2025, the German authorities requested a new search operation in the case of the missing Madeleine McCann. The search will begin on Tuesday at Praia da Luz in southern Portugal. This is reported by exxpress.at, where the final details about the upcoming investigation were published.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in Great Britain has confirmed that it is aware of the German BKA's searches in Portugal. Although the MPS is ready to support international colleagues if necessary, they are not directly involved in the search. According to Yahoo, the focus of the investigation will be on an area between Praia da Luz and the suspect Christian B.'s residence.
Background and course of events
Madeleine McCann disappeared from an Ocean Club vacation rental on May 3, 2007, while her parents were dining at the restaurant. At the time, she was close to her fourth birthday. Investigators believe she was kidnapped and possibly murdered, but her body was never found. The last major searches have so far been unsuccessful, the last one taking place at the end of May 2023, when an inland reservoir in the Algarve was examined, but no traces of Madeleine were found, as Wikipedia reports.
Christian B., a convicted sex offender, has lived in Portugal since the 2000s and was officially identified as a suspect in the McCann case in 2022. Although he is linked to the disappearance of little Madeleine, there have been no charges against him so far and the presumption of innocence still applies. He is currently serving a prison sentence for rape in Germany, and his release date could be early 2026 at the latest. As the reports show, Christian B. was acquitted in a trial involving several sex-related crimes in October, but the verdict is not yet final.
The status of the investigation
The Spanish police have responded to the new search operation initiated by the German authorities. Despite the procedure initiated to reopen the investigation, the Judicial Police in Portugal remain uncommented at this point. Investigators have already targeted the house where Christian B. lived as a potential location for new clues.
Press reports have since highlighted the seriousness and complexity of the case, which has received considerable international attention since its inception. In 2007, shortly after the kidnapping, a €1.5 million reward was offered for information leading to little Madeleine's discovery, and the McCanns have traveled to numerous countries over the years to assist in the search.
Despite the difficult circumstances and the failures of the investigation so far, hope for progress remains. The new search operation could bring important insights into the mysterious case of the missing Madeleine McCann.