Madeleine McCann search in Portugal ends after three days
The fresh search for Madeleine McCann has ended after investigators spent three days in areas near to where the three-year-old disappeared 18 years ago in Portugal.
German investigators left the search area at about 17:15 local time before Portuguese counterparts then removed the outer cordon from the site.
Madeleine disappeared while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz on 3 May 2007, sparking a Europe-wide police investigation that has become one of the highest-profile missing persons cases.
It is unlikely authorities will disclose the result of the search for several weeks but a conversation the BBC had with one officer suggested nothing significant was found.
Police officers on Thursday were seen holding pitchforks as they combed land in the area on the outskirts of the municipality of Lagos and some used pick-axes and shovels to dig some of the undergrowth.
A digger was used to remove rubble from one of the abandoned structures at the search site.
Later in the day tents erected as part of the base area for investigators started to be taken down.
Personnel were seen loading vans parked near the police officers' base area in Atalaia, and German and Portuguese officers were seen shaking hands and embracing as the search drew to a close.
Diggers and specialist equipment were brought in to help scour scrubland and abandoned buildings on Wednesday.
On the night Madeleine disappeared, her parents had been at dinner with friends at a restaurant a short walk away while their three-year-old daughter and her younger twin siblings were asleep in the ground-floor apartment.
Madeleine's case was initially handled by the Portuguese authorities with the aid of the Metropolitan Police.
German police took the lead in 2020 when they identified German national Christian Brückner as their prime suspect, who is known to have spent time in the same part of Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
German authorities suspect him of murder. British police continue to treat the case as a missing persons investigation.
Brückner has repeatedly denied any involvement and no charges have been brought against him relating to Madeleine's disappearance.
The 48-year-old is serving a prison sentence in Germany for an unrelated rape case and could be released as early as September.
Portuguese prosecutors approved a European warrant to allow German teams to conduct the searches on private land.
The search took place between where Madeleine vanished and where the German investigators' prime suspect was staying at the time.
Last month, Kate and Gerry McCann marked the 18th year anniversary of their daughter's disappearance, saying their "determination to leave no stone unturned is unwavering".
However they would not comment during the "active police investigation", staff at the Find Madeleine Campaign said.
Madeleine McCann search goes on but is it 18 years too late?
Madeleine McCann disappearance: A timeline
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Three killed in Russian attack on Ukraine's Kharkiv; Ukrainian drones injure two near Moscow
LONDON (Reuters) -Overnight missile and bomb strikes by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv left three people dead and 22 hurt, while a Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow region wounded two people, officials from both countries said separately on Saturday. Russian forces used high-precision long-range weapons and drones to hit designated military targets in Ukraine overnight, hitting all of them, according to Russia's Defence Ministry. Separately, Ukraine has indefinitely postponed accepting the bodies of its killed soldiers and the exchange of prisoners of war, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said. This was counter to an agreement between the two countries at a second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, where they said they would swap more prisoners and return the bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers. The northeastern city of Kharkiv, one of Ukraine's largest, is just a few dozen kilometres (miles) from the Russian border and has been under frequent Russian shelling during more than three years of war triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion. "Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the start of the full-scale war," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a post on Telegram earlier on Saturday. Residential buildings, educational and infrastructure facilities were attacked, he said, and photos showed buildings burnt and reduced partially to rubble, as rescuers carried the wounded away for treatment. Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said there could still be people buried under the rubble after one civilian industrial facility was hit by 40 drones and several bombs. In the Moscow region, two people were injured after a drone attack by Ukraine overnight and on Friday, Governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram, with nine drones shot down. Russia's aviation watchdog said operations had resumed at the Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky airports in the Moscow region after being suspended temporarily for flight safety reasons. The Defence Ministry said that since midnight, air defence units had intercepted and destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, including the Moscow region. Ukraine's air forces also shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, its military said without providing further details. Russian forces have not yet commented on the matter while Reuters could not independently verify the report. A Ukrainian drone attack deep inside Russian territory last weekend likely damaged around 10% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet and hit some of the aircraft as they were being prepared for strikes on Ukraine, a senior German military official said in a YouTube podcast set for broadcast later on Saturday.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Madeleine McCann suspect ‘told police questions about him can never be answered'
Christian Brueckner, the key suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, reportedly wrote a letter listing 'decisive questions' that 'can never be answered' regarding his alleged involvement in the case. The 48-year-old German national reportedly sent the letter to officers saying questions which would implicate him in the case of the three-year-old British girl, who vanished from the Praia da Luz resort 18 years ago, cannot be answered. Brueckner is currently in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same resort in 2005. In the note, seen and translated by The Sun newspaper, Brueckner reportedly wrote: 'It is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered. 'Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime? 'Is there DNA evidence of me at the crime scene? Are there DNA traces of the injured party in my vehicle? 'Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos? 'And, don't forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no.' It is not clear when the letter was written. Brueckner spent time in the Praia de Luz area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near a reservoir. It comes as German and Portuguese investigators finished three days of searching a 120-acre stretch of land near Lagos, Portugal, on Thursday as part of attempts to source evidence to implicate Brueckner. In the searches, requested by German authorities, crews spent three days scouring scrubland and abandoned structures. Brueckner is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, he was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
European consumer groups accuse Shein of using 'dark patterns'
Online fast fashion retailer Shein is facing a complaint lodged by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and its 25 member groups from 21 countries. The complaint, submitted to the European Commission (EC) and consumer protection authorities across Europe, accuses Shein of employing manipulative tactics known as "dark patterns". These strategies allegedly coerce customers into making unintended purchases, exacerbating both the environmental harm and societal issues inherent in the fast fashion sector. The accusation is grounded in recent research conducted by BEUC's members throughout Europe, which highlights how such illicit practices not only lead to involuntary consumer expenditure but also perpetuate the distribution of potentially hazardous clothing items within Europe. The tactics undermine consumer efforts to support a more sustainable and environmentally conscious economy. In February 2025, the EC initiated its own investigation into Shein's adherence to EU consumer law. By May, it had called on Shein to align with EU consumer regulations and cease employing the "dark patterns". The complaint urges the EC and consumer protection authorities to demand that Shein cease using deceptive methods such as "confirm-shaming" [pressuring users into confirming a choice by making the "no" option seem negative or unpleasant]. emotional manipulation, infinite scrolling and "nagging," all of which are deemed unfair commercial practices under the EU's Unfair Commercial Practices Directive. It also urged the company to present proof that customer testimonials and "low stock" alerts are authentic. If it is unable to do so, Shein should be instructed to stop these practices. If Shein fails to take corrective measures, the authorities are called upon to intervene to protect consumers from serious harm until Shein complies with EU consumer law. The complaint also addresses the broader issue of "dark patterns" in the fast fashion industry, urging authorities to investigate other retailers engaging in similar unfair practices. BEUC director general Agustín Reyna stated: 'Shein's use of 'dark patterns' is a well-documented reality, which has been going on for several years now as BEUC members' research reveals. They make consumers spend ever more money on fast fashion products, that are harmful to themselves, the environment and the people that produce them. 'This ultra-fast fashion model is fuelled by manipulative practices that pressure consumers into buying ever more. Shein is designed to be addictive: it is driven by powerful algorithms to maximise consumer engagement and over-spending. We expect a strong and swift response from authorities to put an end to Shein's manipulative practices and to begin an industry-wide investigation'. In May 2025, Shein received validation of its net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). "European consumer groups accuse Shein of using 'dark patterns'" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data