Camilla Jessen
Portuguese police are once again combing the area near Praia da Luz.
Portuguese authorities have reopened the investigation into the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann with a renewed search effort aimed at uncovering physical evidence — specifically, traces of the child’s remains.
The latest operation, confirmed by Daily Express and other British outlets, is being carried out at the request of German prosecutors.
The targeted area lies between the Ocean Club hotel in Praia da Luz, where three-year-old Madeleine vanished from her family’s holiday apartment, and the former residence of Christian Brückner — the German man officially identified as a suspect in 2020.
Focus Shifts to Key Stretch of Land
A Portuguese police source told local media the search would begin on Tuesday and take place entirely on land, not water.
“The main objective of the operation is to find traces of Madeleine’s body,” the source said.
It remains unclear how long the search will last or whether new intelligence prompted the latest move.
This new search zone is geographically and symbolically significant — located between the last confirmed sighting of Madeleine and the home of a man long suspected of being involved in her disappearance.
Christian Brückner at the Center of Renewed Scrutiny
Christian Brückner, a convicted sex offender, has lived under the shadow of the investigation for several years.
He resided in the Algarve region from 2000 to 2007 and is currently serving time in Germany for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American tourist in Portugal.
Though he has repeatedly denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance, German authorities declared him an official suspect in 2022.
Investigators have pursued various leads tied to Brückner, including property searches and digital evidence, but no conclusive link has yet been made.
In 2023, a lake known as the Arade Dam — about 50 kilometers from Praia da Luz — was searched. Brückner had once referred to the area as “his paradise,” but the operation yielded no findings.
Despite global attention, high-profile investigations, and extensive media coverage, Madeleine’s case remains unsolved.