Police authorities are intensifying their search for Madeleine McCann, employing sniffer dogs to comb through a wooded area near a reservoir in Portugal. During the second day of the operation, officers focused their efforts close to the Arade dam, situated approximately 30 miles (50km) from Praia da Luz, the Algarve resort town where the British girl disappeared 16 years ago at the age of three.
As part of the search, officers utilized strimmers, heavy machinery, and were accompanied by a fire service vehicle and a rigid-hull inflatable boat on the reservoir’s banks. Meanwhile, colleagues carrying spades and rakes scoured an adjacent woodland area while another team worked alongside a sniffer dog. On Tuesday, several bags were taken away from the search site, their contents remaining undisclosed.
In addition to employing rakes, spades, and pickaxes to meticulously examine the ground, the investigative team deployed a drone for aerial surveillance and used sniffer dogs on both sides of the dam. Firefighters conducted searches of the reservoir using a dinghy. To ensure the search operations proceed unhindered, a no-fly zone has been implemented over the reservoir area. A media briefing is anticipated upon the conclusion of the searches, scheduled for either Wednesday or Thursday.
This intensified search operation, led by Portuguese police with assistance from their British and German counterparts, was initiated in response to a request from German authorities. The operation is believed to be linked to the discovery of reservoir photographs found at the hideout of Christian B, a convicted child abuser and drug dealer who was named as an official suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance by German prosecutors last year. Christian B has denied any involvement in the case.
This marks the fourth search operation conducted in relation to Madeleine McCann. Previous searches were carried out in the Algarve area in 2007, as well as subsequent attempts in 2013, 2014, and Germany in 2020. The Arade dam reservoir’s current water level is less than half capacity due to a prevailing drought affecting Portugal and neighboring Spain. It is noteworthy that the area where police are currently focusing their efforts would typically be submerged during years of normal rainfall.
Christian B, the prime suspect, is believed to have frequented the reservoir in the past, reportedly considering it his “paradise.” He is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in the same Algarve region where Madeleine went missing. In 2008, the reservoir was previously searched by specialist divers funded by Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia, prompted by information from criminal contacts suggesting that Madeleine’s body might be located there. However, no evidence related to the case was discovered at the time.
As the 15th anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance passed last year, her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, emphasized the crucial need to uncover the truth about their daughter’s fate. They recently commemorated Madeleine’s 20th birthday, declaring their unwavering commitment to continue the search and refusing to give up hope.
