“Very credible indication”: Now the search for Maddie is expanded

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More than 16 years after the mysterious disappearance of the then three-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann, her case was reopened this week.

A search at the Arade reservoir, not far from the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, where little Maddie disappeared at the time, would yield new clues. The reason: the German Christian B.* (46), who is seriously suspected of having something to do with Maddie’s disappearance, would have stayed at the lake at the time. As “The Sun” reports with reference to the Portuguese newspaper “Expresso”, a “highly credible” tip from an informant should now give hope for a breakthrough in the case.

A German informant gave the clue

The search for the little Brit was even expanded because of the valuable tip, the report continues. Originally, it was said that the search would take two to three days. That has now changed: “There are indications that the operation will last until Thursday and possibly longer,” a Portuguese source told The Sun.

Dozens of German, Portuguese and British police officers who would search the site for two days were given more time to complete their work.

The “highly credible” tip is said to have come from a German informant, as the source further reveals. He gave detectives “very serious” details about prime suspect B.

The hope is growing that the tip can lead to a breakthrough – and the convicted sex offender Christian B. can finally be arrested. “Obviously they think there could be something really important here because they’ve been given more time to search,” the Portuguese source told the paper.

Pink pajamas are the focus of the investigation

The emergency services must therefore look in particular for traces of the pink pajamas that Maddie was wearing on the night of her disappearance.

Portuguese police sources who supported the German investigators said officers were specifically asked to look for signs of dust or fibers.

It remains to be seen whether little Maddie’s parents, Kate (54) and Gerry McCann (55), finally get an answer. Some see the current search as an opportunity to finally get some certainty. For example, Jim Gamble, former head of child protection in the UK: “I think we have the best chance in 16 years of finding out what happened to Madeleine,” Gamble told The Sun. (dzc)

* Name known

Source: Blick