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MADELEINE DISAPPEARED AGED THREE IN 2007 07:24, 03 Jun 2025Updated 08:40, 03 Jun 2025 New searches by German police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are expected to begin

in Portugal today, June 3. Madeleine, then aged three, disappeared in 2007 while on holiday with her family in the resort of Praia da Luz after her parents went out to dinner and left her

sleeping in a room with her toddler twin siblings. The search will cover the municipality of Lagos, which is near Praia da Luz, the town in the Algarve where she went missing nearly two

decades ago. Her disappearance sparked a Europe-wide police investigation, and remains one of the highest-profile unsolved missing person cases in the world. A spokeswoman for the

Metropolitan Police said: “We are aware of the searches being carried by the BKA (German federal police) in Portugal as part of their investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine

McCann. “The Metropolitan Police Service is not present at the search, we will support our international colleagues where necessary.” Around 30 German police officers, including forensic

experts, will be starting the search on Tuesday, with Portuguese police also on the ground, according to reports. On Monday, Portuguese police reportedly closed off dirt roads in the area

where searches will be taking place while tents have been set up in the nearby Atalaia area, near a cottage once lived in by Christian Brueckner, who German prosecutors say is the prime

suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance. Brueckner, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz in 2005, has

denied any involvement. Article continues below German authorities said they are receiving support from Portuguese law enforcement while the Portuguese police said that searches will be

carried out between June 2 and 6 in the municipality of Lagos, in accordance with a European investigation order. Any evidence seized by the Policia Judiciaria will be passed to the German

federal police. They last carried out searches in the country two years ago near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. The reservoir had previously been searched

in 2008, when Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragao Correia paid for specialist divers to search it after he claimed to have been tipped off by criminal contacts that Madeleine’s body was there.

Article continues below Last month, Madeleine’s family marked the 18th anniversary of her disappearance, describing her as “beautiful and unique” before her 22nd birthday, and expressing

their determination to keep searching. A statement from her parents Kate and Gerry McCann and the family said: “The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no

significant news to share, our determination to ‘leave no stone unturned’ is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.” In April, ministers approved more than £100,000 in additional

funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine’s disappearance. The Metropolitan Police continues its investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, known as Operation

Grange, which has been going since 2011.