• Text size      
  • Send this article to a friend
  • Print this article

British police launch new hunt for Madeleine McCann and say she may still be alive

British detectives have launched their own investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance and say they have "genuinely new" lines of inquiry and believe there is a chance she is alive.

Police from Scotland Yard have identified 38 people of interest including 12 UK nationals following a two-year review of evidence in the case. None of the 38 people identified are known to the McCanns.





Madeleine, then aged three, went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal's Algarve on May 3 2007, as her parents Kate and Gerry dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.




Mr Redwood said: "We and the Portuguese authorities remain completely committed to finding out what happened to Madeleine, and everything we do is utterly focused on her best interests.










If a British person were charged with a sexual offence or murder in relation to the case, then they could stand trial on UK soil.

While the investigation is at a very early stage, Mr Redwood said: "The review has given us new thinking, new theories, new evidence and new witnesses."

The senior detective said he "genuinely" believes that Madeleine may still be alive, and appealed to the public to keep looking for her.

"Over the last two years what the review has told me is that there is no clear definitive proof that Madeleine McCann is dead. So on that basis I still genuinely believe that there is a possibility that she is alive.

"I would ask the public to continue to look for her. If you look on the Metropolitan Police website you will see the image that we presented last year to the public and all the contact details.

"If the public aren't happy to talk to police then they can call Crimestoppers.

"Everything we are doing is focused towards trying to find Madeleine McCann. There are no guarantees of any outcome, but I can assure you of our absolute determination to try and establish what has happened to her."

He stressed that neither her parents nor the McCanns' friends who were having dinner with them that night are among the 38 people identified.

"Neither her parents or any of the members of the group who were with her are either persons of interest or suspects.

"They (the McCanns) are parents who have lost their daughter and we are doing all we can to bring resolution for them to find out what has happened to Madeleine."

Contextual targeting label: 
Block list

Commenting & Moderation

