Latest news with #MadeleineCampaign
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Daily Record
Madeleine McCann search update as £300k police operation comes to an end
Investigators applauded and shook hands after three days of searching. Police and firefighters have wrapped up three days of searching scrubland and abandoned buildings in Portugal, as part of a £300,000 operation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007. Officers were seen holding pitchforks as they scoured land on the outskirts of the Algarve town of Lagos on Thursday, June 5. Chainsaws, diggers and a ground-penetrating radar were also utilised. Investigators, who came from both Germany and Portugal, congratulated and embraced each other at the conclusion of the searches in Atalaia, which saw samples of potential evidence taken, WalesOnline reports. Those involved carried out a debrief before leaving the area, with a round of applause before a crate of German beer was produced from the base tent. The blustery conditions meant they struggled to dismantle some of their tents. British police officers were not involved in these searches, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. The latest search efforts, 18 years after Madeleine's disappearance in Praia da Luz, were requested as part of the German authorities' ongoing attempts to gather evidence to implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is behind bars for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in the same area in 2005. The Mirror reported how officers were spotted carrying away boxes containing soil, a child's car seat and white bags filled with unknown contents. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Searches in the early days of her disappearance focused on the Praia da Luz resort, when she vanished from her family's holiday apartment. Her parents Kate and Scots-born Gerry were dining with friends at a restaurant 100 yards away while the children slept. Staff from the Find Madeleine Campaign said Kate and Gerry had not commented during the "active police investigation". In 2023, further searches were conducted near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, around 30 miles from where Madeleine went missing. Christian Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017, documented in photos and videos of himself near the reservoir. Brueckner is expected to be released from prison this September if no further charges are brought against him.
STV News
5 days ago
- STV News
Investigators congratulate themselves as Madeleine McCann searches end
German and Portuguese investigators congratulated and embraced each other as the latest searches connected to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann drew to a close. Search teams wound down the operation in Atalaia, near Lagos, Portugal, on Thursday, after three days of scouring scrubland and abandoned structures. Their efforts focused on a 120-acre stretch of land, using equipment such as chainsaws, diggers and a ground-penetrating radar. The operation comes 18 years after three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from nearby Praia da Luz while on holiday with her family in 2007. The British girl vanished after she was left sleeping while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, went for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Officers involved in the latest searches held a debrief before leaving the site, and there was a round of applause before a crate of German beer was removed from one of the tents in the designated base area. After the Augustiner beers were carried away, some officers struggled to grapple with the tents they were taking down because of the blustery conditions. Earlier in the day, personnel could be seen holding pitchforks as they combed stretches of land. Pick-axes and shovels were used to dig some of the undergrowth and a digger was again used to remove rubble from one of the abandoned structures at the site. They spent the first two days of the search focusing on one particular derelict building, using ground-penetrating radar on the cobbled ground after clearing the area of debris and vegetation using a digger and chainsaws. British officers have not been present at the latest searches, the Metropolitan Police said. Madeleine's parents have not commented during the 'active police investigation', staff at the Find Madeleine Campaign said. German authorities requested the search as part of their continued attempts to source evidence to implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Investigators congratulate themselves as Madeleine McCann searches end
Their efforts focused on a 120-acre stretch of land, using equipment such as chainsaws, diggers and a ground-penetrating radar. The operation comes 18 years after three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from nearby Praia da Luz while on holiday with her family in 2007. The British girl vanished after she was left sleeping while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, went for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Officers involved in the latest searches held a debrief before leaving the site, and there was a round of applause before a crate of German beer was removed from one of the tents in the designated base area. After the Augustiner beers were carried away, some officers struggled to grapple with the tents they were taking down because of the blustery conditions. Officers pack up a tent at the end of the day (James Manning/PA) Earlier in the day, personnel could be seen holding pitchforks as they combed stretches of land. Pick-axes and shovels were used to dig some of the undergrowth and a digger was again used to remove rubble from one of the abandoned structures at the site. They spent the first two days of the search focusing on one particular derelict building, using ground-penetrating radar on the cobbled ground after clearing the area of debris and vegetation using a digger and chainsaws. British officers have not been present at the latest searches, the Metropolitan Police said. Members of the search teams at one of the base camps close to Praia da Luz (James Manning/PA) Madeleine's parents have not commented during the 'active police investigation', staff at the Find Madeleine Campaign said. German authorities requested the search as part of their continued attempts to source evidence to implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Investigators congratulate themselves as Madeleine McCann searches end
German and Portuguese investigators congratulated and embraced each other as the latest searches connected to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann drew to a close. Search teams wound down the operation in Atalaia, near Lagos, Portugal, on Thursday, after three days of scouring scrubland and abandoned structures. Their efforts focused on a 120-acre stretch of land, using equipment such as chainsaws, diggers and a ground-penetrating radar. The operation comes 18 years after three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from nearby Praia da Luz while on holiday with her family in 2007. The British girl vanished after she was left sleeping while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, went for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Officers involved in the latest searches held a debrief before leaving the site, and there was a round of applause before a crate of German beer was removed from one of the tents in the designated base area. After the Augustiner beers were carried away, some officers struggled to grapple with the tents they were taking down because of the blustery conditions. Earlier in the day, personnel could be seen holding pitchforks as they combed stretches of land. Pick-axes and shovels were used to dig some of the undergrowth and a digger was again used to remove rubble from one of the abandoned structures at the site. They spent the first two days of the search focusing on one particular derelict building, using ground-penetrating radar on the cobbled ground after clearing the area of debris and vegetation using a digger and chainsaws. British officers have not been present at the latest searches, the Metropolitan Police said. Madeleine's parents have not commented during the 'active police investigation', staff at the Find Madeleine Campaign said. German authorities requested the search as part of their continued attempts to source evidence to implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. In October last year, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- RTÉ News
Portugal searches in Madeleine McCann case to end
Investigators looking in to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are to conclude their latest searches after three days scouring scrubland and abandoned structures. Officers could be seen holding pitchforks as they combed an area on the outskirts of Lagos in Portugal today. Teams of German and Portuguese police officers, as well as firefighters, used pick-axes and shovels to dig some of the undergrowth. A digger was also deployed to remove rubble from one of the abandoned structures at the site. The operation comes 18 years after the three-year-old British girl disappeared from nearby Praia da Luz while on holiday with her family. The toddler vanished in 2007 after she was left sleeping while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, went for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Personnel have spent two days focusing on one particular derelict building, using a ground-penetrating radar on the cobbled ground after clearing the area of debris and vegetation using a digger and chainsaws. British officers have not been present at the latest searches, London's Metropolitan Police said. Madeleine's parents are not commenting during the "active police investigation", staff at the Find Madeleine Campaign said. German authorities requested the search as part of their continued attempts to source evidence to implicate prime suspect Christian Brueckner, who is in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. He is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought. Last October, Brueckner was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 50km from Praia da Luz.
