The Daily Star Ireland
Authorities in Portugal have launched a fresh search operation in the Algarve region this week as part of an ongoing investigation into the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann. The effort is being carried out at the request of German prosecutors, who are continuing to pursue leads related to a primary suspect.
Portuguese police confirmed that the operation will take place in the municipality of Lagos, near Praia da Luz, where McCann vanished 17 years ago while on holiday with her family. According to a statement from the Polícia Judiciária, the activity will extend over several days, running from Tuesday through Friday. The search will involve various investigative techniques and is expected to cover areas in proximity to the Ocean Club resort, the last known location of the child.
This latest development comes under a judicial request from the Brunswick Public Prosecutor’s Office in northern Germany. The German team is leading an inquiry into Christian Bruckner, a German national suspected of involvement in McCann’s presumed murder. Portuguese officials confirmed that any material recovered during the operation would be transferred to German federal investigators, contingent upon approval from Portugal’s national public prosecutor.
Ongoing International Collaboration and Legal Context
German authorities have maintained a lead role in pursuing the case since publicly identifying Bruckner as a suspect in 2020. Bruckner, currently incarcerated in Germany for an unrelated rape conviction, has been linked to multiple crimes in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. Despite suspicions regarding McCann’s disappearance, he has not been formally charged in connection with her case. His most recent court appearance ended in October 2024 with an acquittal on charges related to two sexual assaults and three rapes allegedly committed in Portugal over a 17-year period.
The new search follows a previous operation in May 2023, when authorities conducted a large-scale investigation near a reservoir located about 50 kilometers from Praia da Luz. That search, similarly coordinated between German and Portuguese officials, did not yield publicly disclosed breakthroughs.
German prosecutor Christian Wolters confirmed that criminal proceedings remain active in Portugal as part of the broader investigation. He noted that the latest search is part of a coordinated effort between German and Portuguese teams to follow up on evolving lines of inquiry. British law enforcement is not physically present during the operation but has pledged support to assist international counterparts as required.
Madeleine McCann’s disappearance continues to be one of the most widely followed missing persons cases in the world. Despite years of public appeals, media attention, and multi-jurisdictional investigations, no definitive resolution has yet been reached. Authorities from the UK, Germany, and Portugal continue to cooperate in hopes of uncovering new evidence or securing a prosecutable case.
As of now, no official statement has been released regarding preliminary findings from this week’s search. The operation remains ongoing.
