Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in May 2007 in Praia da Luz, remains one of the greatest judicial mysteries of the 21st century. Eighteen years later, the Portuguese police have begun new searches. This operation is coordinated with the German authorities, who are convinced they have identified the main suspect.
These new searches began on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, near the place where the little girl disappeared. They are conducted under a warrant issued by the Brunswick prosecutor’s office, in northern Germany. About 25 German police officers are participating in the operation, alongside their Portuguese counterparts.
A known suspect, but never charged
Christian Brückner, 48 years old, is at the center of the suspicions. A German was convicted for the rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz in 2005. Moreover, he is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence. His criminal record is heavy. From adolescence, he was convicted of sexual violence against a minor. He was living in the Algarve in 2007, and his phone was traced near the McCann apartment the night of the disappearance.
However, he has never been charged in this case. In 2020, the German justice system claimed to be convinced that he had killed Maddie. But no material evidence has allowed the investigation to conclude. In 2024, Brückner was acquitted in a separate trial concerning several sexual assaults committed in Portugal.
Objective: find any clue
The current searches aim to find the child’s body or any object related to her presence. Investigators are focusing their searches on an area of six kilometers. It includes ruined buildings, cisterns, and wells. A penetrating radar capable of probing up to 4.5 meters deep is being used.
Similar searches had already taken place in May 2023, without success. This time, the authorities wish to explore more remote locations. They are situated between Praia da Luz and the neighboring town of Lagos.
A disappearance with worldwide impact
On the evening of May 3, 2007, Maddie was sleeping in a rental apartment while her parents dined nearby. Upon their return, the three-year-old girl had disappeared. This incident generated unprecedented mobilization. Hundreds of witnesses were questioned, and there was massive media coverage worldwide.
The McCann family, originally from the United Kingdom, has never stopped believing in the possibility of finding their daughter. In 2011, the case was reopened by Scotland Yard, then taken up again in 2020 by the German justice system.
A complex cross-border investigation
This cooperation between Portugal, Germany, and the United Kingdom illustrates the complexity of the investigation. Each country has conducted investigations according to its procedures, which has sometimes slowed progress. Despite this, the authorities now seem to want to accelerate the process, especially before the anticipated release of Christian Brückner scheduled for September 2025.
Hope or dead end?
This new operation could revive the case. It could also rekindle a pain never extinguished for Maddie’s relatives. The authorities, however, proceed with caution. No formal evidence has yet been discovered in the ongoing searches.
The Maddie McCann case remains a major criminal enigma, marked by twists, false leads, and constant media coverage. This new judicial episode could, perhaps, finally provide answers. But for now, clarity is still elusive regarding that night in May 2007.