Agencies Lisbon

Portuguese and German police have launched a new search operation in Portugal, reigniting efforts to uncover clues in the enduring mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance. The search, authorized by German prosecutors, is concentrated in the municipality of Lagos, adjacent to Praia da Luz, the Algarve town where the then three-year-old vanished almost two decades ago.

Madeleine was last seen on May 3, 2007, from an apartment complex while on a family holiday. Her disappearance triggered a vast, Europe-wide investigation and remains one of the world's most high-profile unsolved missing person cases.

Portuguese police confirmed on Monday that the search operation is scheduled to run from June 2 to June 6. German search specialists have arrived in the town, and local authorities have begun closing roads in preparation for the renewed efforts.

German investigators have spearheaded the case since 2020, when they identified 48-year-old Christian Brückner as their prime suspect. Brückner is currently imprisoned in Germany for a separate crime – the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American tourist in Portugal – and is slated for release later this year. While German authorities suspect him of murder in Madeleine's case, they have yet to find sufficient evidence to bring charges. Brückner has consistently denied any involvement.

German authorities informed the BBC on Monday that "criminal proceedings are currently underway in Portugal," with the full support of Portuguese police.