[ad_1]
British police will be present during the search for the Aradi dam in Portugal, which is located about 31 miles from where the little boy went missing.
Tuesday, May 23, 2023, 20:41, UK
Police investigating Madeleine McCann’s disappearance said they were searching a water tank in Portugal after receiving “certain reports”.
Police divers were seen entering the water in the Aradi dam in Silves municipality on Tuesday.
It appeared later that a number of bags had been taken from the search area, but it was not known what was inside.
The site is located about 31 miles from where the British girl disappeared during a family holiday in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007. Madeleine was only three years old at the time.
Read more: How the search was done after Madeleine McCann’s disappearance
German prosecutor Christian Walter said: “We are investigating in Portugal on the basis of some tips [tip-offs].
“I can’t reveal the background at this time, such as why we are looking there and what we hope to find there. It will remain our secret for the time being.”
A source familiar with the investigation told Reuters news agency that the operation is likely linked to photographs of the tank found in Christian B.
The German prosecution had appointed him last year as an official suspect in the case of Madeleine’s disappearance.
Madeline’s latest research ‘takes time’
A boat was also sent to the reservoir with two officers. Between 20 and 30 officers were seen in the area, including ten sniffer dogs.
Sky News Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins said officers would not only focus on the water, but the surrounding bush.
The vehicles and officers were first seen at the site of the reservoir on Monday after reports emerged of the new search.
Read more: The exact area in which the search is taking place How did the events in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance unfold?
Local police said they were coordinating searches in the Algarve at the request of German police and in the presence of British officers.
It comes after German police announced in June 2020 that they believed Madeleine was dead and that Christian B was most likely responsible.
The child molester and convicted drug dealer were allegedly visiting the reservoir, purporting to refer to it as his “paradise”.
Christian B is currently in prison for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve from which Madeleine disappeared, but he has not been charged with any crime in connection with the disappearance.
Author in Madeline Research
He denied any involvement.
John Clarke, author of My Search for Madeleine, having been the first journalist on the site when Madeleine disappeared in 2007, said Mr Wolter was tipped off by a “reliable source” in April.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Clarke said police were “optimistic” they might also find the bodies of three missing children who were never found, including eight-year-old Joanna Cipriano, who went missing in 2004, “close Very” to Praia da Luz.
Photo: Arad Dam in Portugal
The waterway was previously searched in 2008 after Portuguese lawyer Marcos Aragão Correa paid specialized divers to check out the site.
He claimed he had been informed by criminal contacts that Madeleine’s body was in the tank, but nothing was found.
Sky’s Siobhan Robbins explains what’s happening at the dam
This is a limited edition version of the story, so unfortunately this content is not available. Unlock the full version
A search was also conducted in 2014 of bushland near where she disappeared, after British police were given permission to investigate by the Portuguese authorities.
And a German court last month dropped other charges of rape and sexual offenses against Christian B that were not related to Madeleine’s case.
Image: Madeleine has disappeared in Praia da Luz and the police are searching the Arad Dam
He had been charged with three counts of aggravated rape and two counts of child sexual abuse in Portugal between December 2000 and June 2017.
However, the Braunschweig court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction in the case.
Read more: Madeleine’s parents celebrate her 20th birthday Kate and Gerry McCann lose legal battle over investigators’ accusations
Image: An officer at the reservoir site on Monday
Lawyer Friedrich Fulcher said the decision meant the court authorities could not have jurisdiction over any possible case involving Madeleine. The court did not comment on his claim.
Last year, on the 15th anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance, Madeleine’s parents said it was “essential” to find out the truth about what happened to their daughter.
Kate and Gerry McCann also celebrated Madeleine’s 20th birthday earlier this month with a vow that they would “never give up” looking out for her.
|
Sources 2/ https://news.sky.com/story/amp/search-of-reservoir-by-police-investigating-madeleine-mccanns-disappearance-to-begin-12887283 The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
[ad_2]