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More than 18 years after Madeleine McCann vanished from her family\u2019s holiday apartment in Portugal, a new police search has reignited public interest \u2014 and painful hope.<\/strong><\/p>\n On June 3, German and Portuguese authorities began searching an area near Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was last seen in 2007. The location is close to a property once rented by Christian Brueckner, a convicted sex offender named as the prime suspect in 2020. He has never been charged.<\/p>\n Around 30 German officers and forensic experts have joined the effort, focusing on land near Brueckner\u2019s former cottage. A Portuguese source said the goal is to search for signs of Madeleine\u2019s body.<\/p>\n Former British detective Mark Williams-Thomas noted the search centers around where Brueckner lived before Madeleine disappeared. Still, he remains doubtful that anything new will be found.<\/p>\n This is the first major search in Portugal since May 2023. Previous efforts \u2014 including well searches in 2020 and radar scans in 2014 \u2014 yielded no results.<\/p>\n German authorities requested the latest operation, with Portugal\u2019s judiciary approving it. The UK\u2019s Metropolitan Police is not directly involved but expressed support.<\/p>\n Brueckner, now 48, is serving time in Germany for a 2005 rape in Praia da Luz. He denies any role in Madeleine\u2019s case but remains the main suspect. Recently acquitted of unrelated charges, he could be released as early as September, raising fears he might flee.<\/p>\n Madeleine\u2019s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, continue their search. This May marked 18 years since her disappearance and what would have been her 22nd birthday. In a statement, they wrote: \u201cWe miss her.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" More than 18 years after Madeleine McCann vanished from her family\u2019s holiday apartment in Portugal, a new police search has reignited public interest \u2014 and painful hope. On June 3, German and Portuguese authorities began searching an area near Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was last seen in 2007. The location is close to a…<\/p>\n