Madeleine McCann search LIVE: Cops begin day 2 of hunt for missing girl & prepare to use radar after focus on farm well
GERMAN and Portuguese cops have started the second day of their hunt for missing British toddler Madeleine McCann.
On Tuesday, officers concentrated their efforts on a derelict property and a well, located in southern Portugal just a few miles from Praia da Luz.
The search is part of a fresh operation to uncover evidence that could implicate Christian Brueckner, the convicted sex offender named as the prime suspect in the case.
Teams will be looking where trenches were dug near the resort at the time of Madeleine's disappearance, at wells, ruins and water tanks, with plans to examine 21 pieces of land.
What makes this search different is a georadar that police now have access to which can scan 15ft below the surface.
That means they only have to dig if they see something interesting on scans.
The advanced machinery is expected to be put into action today.
Searchers were scouring the dilapidated farmhouse and draining a well within secluded shrubland just outside of the Portuguese town of Praia da Luz.
And firefighters were using a hose to drain one of two wells at the search area.
What appear to be boxes of soil and debris were being removed from the hillside on Tuesday as cops used chainsaws to cut through roots and undergrowth to access the soil.
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Images show crumbling brick walls, piles of debris scattered across the floor, and what appears to be a hole dug into the ground, believed to be part of the search efforts.
The scene reflects the intense scrutiny investigators are placing on the site, hoping it may hold long-awaited answers.
It's currently unclear what exactly prime suspect Brueckner's relationship to the ramshackle barn is.
The barn is found in between the golf course and the sea - not far from the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz where Madeleine vanished 18 years ago.
Prolific thief Brueckner used the bushy area near the cottage back in 2007 as a rat run.
A police theory is the three-year-old or her pyjamas might have been dumped in trenches near the holiday resort that were dug as part of extensive works at the time.
Brueckner is set for release from jail in September after serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for a 2005 Praia da Luz rape.
He has never been formally charged over Madeleine’s disappearance and denies any involvement.
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A source said: “It’s now or never.”
Follow our live blog, below, for the latest news and updates...
Pictures: Cops at the scene for day 2 of search
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA Map: Day 1 of fresh Madeleine search
Bombshell new search is most important yet
After the airing of our exclusive investigation it quickly became clear - very few people had any idea over the extent of what the convicted paedophile and rapist might be capable of.
Despite denying any involvement in Maddie's disappearance, we need to remind ourselves, he is currently on course to walk free in September - in a matter of some 15 weeks.
And THAT is why the development of must be welcomed.
No dig for the remains of a child should ever be greeted with happiness. Of course not.
The plight of Maddie is heartbreaking for us all - nevermind how impossible it must be for her dedicated family to consider.
But justice must be done in such appalling circumstances, mustn't it?
to find out why this search is the most important so far.
'No leads uncovered' in first day of search - report
Yesterday, authorities focused on abandoned buildings, two wells and two water tanks to the east of Praia da Luz.
But no leads have been uncovered so far, according to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha.
The paper said: "The investigations were suspended at the end of the day, without finding anything relevant to the investigation."
German and Portuguese authorities have until the weekend to carry out their searches.
This could be extended, however, if anything significant is discovered.
Watch: I've looked Maddie suspect in the eye - he can never be freed
I looked Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner in the eyes in court and discovered the haunting reason he should NEVER be freeInside key search areas linked to the Madeleine McCann case
Who is leading the new Madeleine McCann search – and how long will it last?
The latest operation in the search for Madeleine McCann is being carried out by a team of around 30 German police officers, including forensic experts, working alongside Portuguese authorities.
The renewed effort is part of a joint investigation focused on uncovering new evidence that could link Christian Brueckner, the main suspect, to the British toddler’s disappearance in 2007.
The search began on Tuesday, June 3, and is expected to continue until at least Friday, with officers scouring a large area near Praia da Luz — not far from where Madeleine was last seen 18 years ago.
Credit: Dan Charity New search could be the largest since 2008
The latest search for missing British toddler Madeleine McCann is shaping up to be the most extensive operation in over 15 years, according to officials involved in the investigation.
On Tuesday, Portuguese and German police launched joint searches across a "vast" area in Portugal’s southern Algarve region, scouring land for fresh evidence in the 2007 case that continues to grip global attention.
Portugal’s Judicial Police confirmed they are acting under search warrants requested by German prosecutors in Braunschweig, who in 2022 formally named Christian Brueckner as an official suspect.
The convicted sex offender lived in the region at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance.
A source close to the operation said the area under investigation spans several hectares, with officers using ground-penetrating radar to comb through the terrain.
Portuguese police are working under a European Investigation Order and are reportedly following directions from their German counterparts.
Who is key suspect Christian Brueckner?
Christian Brueckner is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Born in Germany in 1976, he moved to Portugal in his late teens and is believed to have lived there between 1995 and 2007.
During that time, he stayed in a campervan not far from Praia da Luz — the same resort where three-year-old Madeleine vanished in 2007.
Brueckner, described as around 6ft tall, slim, with short blonde hair, has a long criminal record.
He has more than a dozen previous convictions, including burglary, theft and several sex offences.
At just 17, he served an 18-month sentence in Germany for sexually abusing a youth.
He is currently behind bars, serving a seven-year prison sentence for raping an American pensioner in Praia da Luz, and for drug trafficking.
Brueckner was officially named a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case in 2022, after it emerged he had reportedly been driving around the resort on the night she went missing.
Credit: Darren Fletcher
Full timeline of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance
April 28, 2007
The McCann family — Gerry, Kate, and their three children — arrive in Praia da Luz, Portugal, for a holiday at the Ocean Club resort.May 3, 2007
- 6:00pm: Madeleine is seen eating dinner with her family.
- 8:30pm: Her parents join friends at a nearby tapas restaurant, taking turns to check on the children.
- 10:00pm: Kate McCann checks the apartment and discovers Madeleine is missing. The alarm is raised.
May 4, 2007
Police begin investigating a possible abduction. Border alerts are issued, but the crime scene is not properly secured.May–June 2007
Thousands of tips flood in. Portuguese police question staff and tourists. Madeleine’s photo spreads worldwide.August 2007
British sniffer dogs detect the scent of blood and human remains in the McCanns’ apartment and rental car.September 2007
Kate and Gerry McCann are declared "arguidos" (official suspects) by Portuguese police, but are never charged.July 2008
The Portuguese case is officially closed due to lack of evidence. The McCanns are cleared.May 2011
The UK government asks Scotland Yard to review the case under Operation Grange.July 2013
Scotland Yard says Madeleine may have been abducted during a botched burglary. New suspects are identified.May 2019
Police confirm they are pursuing a “significant line of inquiry” after years of limited progress.June 2020
German police announce a new suspect — Christian Brueckner, a convicted sex offender living in the area at the time.April 2022
Brueckner is formally declared an official suspect by Portuguese authorities.May 2023
Police launch a renewed search of a reservoir in Portugal, near where Brueckner once stayed.June 2024
Emails linking Brueckner to child abuse material and potential links to Madeleine’s case are revealed by investigators.June 2025
Searches resume on land east of Praia da Luz, near a farmhouse where Brueckner once lived. Investigators drain wells and use radar equipment to look for clues.Despite years of investigation and global attention, Madeleine’s fate remains unknown.
Credit: PA Met Police confirms no British officers involved in latest Maddie search
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed that no British officers will be present during the latest search operation in Portugal for missing toddler Madeleine McCann.
A spokesperson for the force said they are aware of the ongoing operation, which is being led by Portuguese authorities in coordination with German investigators, but confirmed that UK officers will not be on the ground for this phase of the investigation.
The Met continues to support the case through Operation Grange, the British inquiry into Madeleine’s disappearance, launched in 2011.
Brueckner gives chilling interview as Madeleine McCann search kicks off
Madeleine McCann prime suspect has bragged he can’t wait to be freed - so he can have a steak and a beer.
In his first interview, convicted paedo Christian Brueckner, 48, told a German broadcaster he was fed-up of being in prison - just as a fresh search for Maddie's body kicks off.
The rapist - who has refused to answer police questions over Maddie - whinged that staying tight lipped means he speaks less than ten words a day.
He even claimed he had forgotten how to use his facial expressions.
What are the key questions surrounding the case?
The disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007 remains one of the most puzzling and high-profile missing persons cases in the world.
Here are the key questions that continue to surround her case:
1. What really happened on the night of May 3, 2007?
Madeleine was last seen sleeping in her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while her parents dined at a nearby restaurant. She was gone within a 45-minute window — yet no one witnessed an abduction, and there were no clear signs of forced entry.
2. Was Christian Brueckner involved — and if so, how?
The German sex offender was named a suspect in 2020 after phone records placed him near the resort on the night Madeleine disappeared. He lived in the area at the time and has a history of child sex offences. But there’s still no hard evidence linking him directly to the crime.
3. Was there a break-in or did someone have inside access?
There were no definitive signs of forced entry, sparking theories that the abductor may have entered through an unlocked door or even had a key. This has raised questions about who else may have known the McCanns' routine.
4. Was key evidence missed or mishandled in the early investigation?
Portuguese police faced heavy criticism for delays and procedural errors in the crucial early hours and days. Could vital clues have been lost, and did those mistakes cost investigators their best chance to find Madeleine?
5. Is Madeleine still alive?
Despite countless searches, tips and theories, there has never been conclusive proof of what happened to her. Without forensic evidence or a body, investigators — and her family — continue to hold onto hope.
The search for answers goes on.
First look inside abandoned building at centre of new Maddie search
These are the first images from inside the abandoned rural building where police focused their search efforts today in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
Officers combed through the derelict property in southern Portugal, just miles from Praia da Luz, where the three-year-old vanished 18 years ago.
The latest search is part of a renewed push by Portuguese and German authorities, who believe the site may hold vital clues.
Pictures show police activity around the crumbling structure as investigators continue to probe the area for any evidence that could help solve one of the world’s most enduring mysteries.
Credit: Solarpix 
Credit: Solarpix Brueckner wiped emails from key months, police say
In June last year, a senior detective revealed that investigators had uncovered emails on Christian Brueckner’s Hotmail account linking him to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
According to the detective, police also found a second email account where Brueckner had exchanged disturbing child abuse videos with other paedophiles.
Crucially, it’s claimed Brueckner deleted all emails from the Hotmail account during the first half of 2007 — the exact period when Madeleine went missing.
Prosecutors were able to access the inbox after submitting a legal request to US tech giant Microsoft back in 2019.
Investigators scour abandoned building during Madeleine McCann search
Portuguese officers and around 25 German investigators were seen clearing thick undergrowth and inspecting a derelict building near Atalaia, Lagos, just a few miles west of the resort where the British toddler was last seen in 2007.
The operation, led by the German federal police, is the latest effort to find evidence that could implicate convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner, who remains the prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.
Scroll down to see powerful images from the scene, where search teams continue to hunt for answers nearly two decades after the three-year-old went missing.
Credit: AFP 
Credit: AP 
Credit: PA 
Credit: AFP Madeleine McCann search: what happened today
Here’s a quick recap of today’s developments in the renewed search for Madeleine McCann:
- Police are focusing on over 20 plots of land to the east of Praia da Luz, the Portuguese town where the three-year-old vanished in 2007.
- Officers are zeroing in on a remote farmhouse once used by Christian B, the German suspect who lived locally and worked as a handyman at the time.
- Investigators are searching for any clues that could suggest Madeleine was moved from her family’s holiday apartment to this area.
- Local reports say two wells are being drained as part of the search effort, with authorities hoping to find key evidence inside.
- Ground-penetrating radar equipment is being used to scan the scrubland in the area.
- Police have cordoned off roads near Atalaia but are keeping daily search locations under wraps.
- The search is set to continue until at least Friday, with no-fly zones enforced to stop drones from capturing footage.
Pictures: Well continues to be drained and searched
Credit: Dan Charity 
Credit: Dan Charity 
Credit: Dan Charity Mapped: Madeleine's search
Well drained for clues
Search teams have been scouring one of two wells and clearing areas of dense shrubbery near abandoned buildings in the search for Madeleine.
Firefighters appear to be using a winch to search the well next to a farm building.
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA Pictures: Teams continue search at abandoned property
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA 
Credit: PA 
Credit: Dan Charity
Brueckner 'lived in house nearby'
It is currently unclear what exactly prime suspect Christian Bruckner's relationship to the barn cops are digging near is.
Brueckner had lived near the area close to the beach in a cottage in 2005 - when he had raped a 72-year-old American woman.
The shrubland area was a rat run for the prolific thief.
Firefighters use hose to drain well next to dilapidated farmhouse
German and Portuguese search teams are currently using strimmers, pick-axes, shovels and chainsaws to clear the undergrowth and debris surrounding an abandoned farmhouse.
Personnel are wearing safety gear such as gloves and hard hats as they work in the dense vegetation.
Firefighters and cops have also used a yellow hose to drain a well next to one abandoned building.
Credit: AP 
Credit: Dan Charity 
Credit: Dan Charity Pictures: Cops working at farmhouse
Credit: Dan Charity 
Credit: Dan Charity 
Credit: Dan Charity New search comes after investigation was 'bungled' years ago - expert
The new search in the Algarve region comes years after the search for Madeleine was initially "bungled," an expert has said.
Former chief executive of the Child Exploitation & Online Protection Command Jim Gamble also revealed how the new search could be a "desperate last throw of the dice".
He told Sky News: "I've said many, many times the crime scene was bungled [at the time], and so there was no control.
"And so that chaos at the beginning, that came at a cost to the investigation."
