Madeleine McCann searchers find 'relevant clue' at reservoir with evidence 'to be handed over to German authorities'

Madeleine McCann cut out with officers in Portugal

Officers searching a reservoir for Madeleine McCann have collected "material" which will be sent to Germany

PA
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 26/05/2023

- 09:27

Updated: 26/05/2023

- 12:46

Police have spent three days searching a remote reservoir in Portugal

Officers searching a reservoir for Madeleine McCann have collected "material" which will be sent to Germany for testing.

It comes as the operation ended with tents being taken down following a search surrounding scrubland in the Algarve after police received "certain tip-offs".


A number of bags were taken away from the area but it is unknown if anything significant was found.

Police said the search "resulted in the collection of some material that will be subject to the competent expertise", and that it would "be handed over to the German authorities".

Police search in Portugal

A number of bags were taken away from the area but it is unknown if anything significant was found

PA

Local media reported that the relevant material was collected on Thursday.

The search began on Tuesday, with a police boat entering the water at the Arade dam before teams began to dig areas leaving holes which are believed to have been dug for soil samples.

A source close to the investigation said there was "nothing to report" after the search, which involved cutting back a vast area of undergrowth.

German prosecutor Christian Wolters said: "Of course there is a certain expectation, but it is not high."

Officers are working on a theory that German prime suspect Christian B kidnapped Madeleine, killed her, and dumped her body at the beauty spot which is located 45 minutes away from where she vanished in 2007.

The reservoir is around 31 miles from where Madeleine vanished from their family apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007.

"Of course we are still looking for the body," prosecutor Mr Wolters said. "We're not just looking for that, of course. There are other things too.

"Any discovery of clothing could help the investigation."

A police informant said suspect Christian B visited the remote reservoir in Portugal just days after she went missing.

Tents and machinery in Portugal

The operation ended with tents being taken down following a search surrounding scrubland in the Algarve

PA

German and Portuguese police are carrying out the searches, with Scotland Yard officers present on a “watching brief”.

Christian B remains in prison after being convicted of raping a 72-year-old American tourist in 2006 after breaking into her villa half a mile from the McCanns’ holiday apartment.

The criminal was identified after two former friends told German police they had found video tapes at the farmhouse where he lived on the outskirts of Praia da Luz showing the rape and two other sex attacks.

You may like