The operation, requested by Germany’s Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office and authorised by Portuguese judicial authorities
Eighteen years after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Portuguese and German authorities have initiated a new search operation in the Algarve region of Portugal. This renewed effort, which began on June 2, 2025, focuses on areas between Praia da Luz – where the three-year-old vanished in 2007, and a property formerly inhabited by Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the case.
The operation, requested by Germany’s Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office and authorised by Portuguese judicial authorities, involves approximately 30 German officers and their Portuguese counterparts. Utilising ground-penetrating radar, the teams are examining 21 private plots of land, including scrubland and abandoned buildings near the Ocean Club resort, where Madeleine was last seen.
Christian Brueckner, a 48-year-old German national, a convicted sex offender has been under investigation since 2020 as a prime suspect. He is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany for an unrelated rape conviction. Brueckner has not been charged in connection with Madeleine’s disappearance but remains the primary suspect. Authorities are under pressure to gather sufficient evidence before his scheduled release in September 2025, amid concerns he may flee to a non-extradition country.
Madeleine McCann disappeared on May 3, 2007, from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while her parents dined nearby. Despite extensive investigations by Portuguese, British, and German authorities, her whereabouts remain unknown, making it one of the most high-profile missing person cases in recent history.
This latest search operation is considered one of the most significant since the initial investigation. Authorities hope that advancements in forensic technology and the re-examination of key locations will yield new evidence to finally resolve the case. The operation is expected to continue through June 6, 2025.
