Madeleine McCann news – latest: Police warn against hope after reservoir search results

Police officers who scoured a reservoir in Portugal in the search for Madeleine McCann have warned against hope as they hit a fresh roadblock in their investigation.

A large section of the Barragem do Arade reservoir was cordoned off in May, about 30 miles from where three-year-old Madeleine went missing in Praia da Luz 16 years ago.

It is believed that the main suspect in the case, convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner, regularly visited the reservoir’s peninsula and had described it as a “little slice of paradise”.

But detectives searching the reservoir have now said there is “no compelling evidence” Madeleine is there.

Holes up to 2ft deep were dug up in the reservoir search, in the hope of unearthing clothing fibres, local media reported.

But despite initial hope, German public prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told newspaper Bild: “Please don’t expect too much.”

This comes after a former friend of Brueckner, Helge Busching, claimed that the jailed paedophile had told him “she didn’t scream” during a conversation about the missing three-year-old.

He told Bild he revealed the crucial information to Scotland Yard in 2008 but was ignored.

Timeline of Madeleine McCann case

09:00 , Tara Cobham

Madeleine McCann, a three-year-old girl from Rothley, Leicestershire, was reported missing from the Portuguese holiday resort of Praia da Luz on the Algarve on 3 May 2007, a case still unsolved and still the subject of intense interest among the public and press.

Her parents, Kate McCann and Gerry McCann, posted a statement on the Find Madeleine website on 3 May 2023 marking the latest anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance, reiterating their hopes of being reunited with her one day and posting a poem, “The Contradiction” by Clare Pollard, to express their feelings.

“Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction. Still missing... still very much missed,” they wrote.

“The police investigation continues, and we await a breakthrough. Thank you to everyone for your support – it really helps.”

Here is a reminder of the events of the case.

What happened to Madeleine McCann?

Detectives searching for Madeleine McCann give update after scouring reservoir

08:01 , Tara Cobham

Police officers who scoured a reservoir in Portugal in the search for Madeleine McCann have hit a fresh roadblock in their investigation.

A large section of the Barragem do Arade reservoir was cordoned off in May, about 30 miles from where three-year-old Madeleine went missing in Praia da Luz 16 years ago.

It is believed that the main suspect in the case, convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner, regularly visited the reservoir’s peninsula and had described it as a “little slice of paradise”.

But detectives searching the reservoir have now said there is “no compelling evidence” Madeleine is there, according to The Sun.

Holly Hales reports:

Detectives searching for Madeleine McCann give update after scouring reservoir