McCanns given hope as Portugal reopens inquiry

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have said they hope a renewed investigation into their daughter’s disappearance could lead to her finally being found.
Madeleine McCannMadeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann

Kate and Gerry McCann said in a statement: “We are very pleased that the investigation to find our missing daughter Madeleine has been officially reopened in Portugal.

“We hope that this will finally lead to her being found and to the discovery of whoever is responsible for this crime.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We once again urge any member of the public who may have information relating to Madeleine’s abduction to contact the police in Portugal or the UK.”

The Metropolitan Police said today that the Portuguese investigation was being re-started as a result of new lines of inquiry emerging from an internal review.

It will run alongside Scotland Yard’s investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance, which uncovered new leads that were detailed by officers last week.

Portuguese police shelved their investigation in 2008, the year after Madeleine vanished, but supported the British-run inquiry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann met officers in Lisbon last week to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

The new Portuguese lines of inquiry are separate from those being pursued by the Met.

Mr Rowley said: “The meeting was very positive, and we and the Policia Judiciara have a shared determination to do everything possible to discover what happened to Madeleine.

“Colleagues in Portugal fully shared with us the developments in their review, and the fact that they were taking the significant step of applying for the investigation to be formally reopened.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This is a welcome development, but both sides of the investigation are at relatively early stages, with much work remaining to be done.”

Yesterday Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defended the way Portuguese police handled the initial investigation after Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007 as her parents dined in a nearby tapas restaurant.

Speaking on LBC 97.3, Sir Bernard said: ‘’I’m sure for them that must have been a challenge. Anybody can go back after two, three, five, six years and say ‘why didn’t you do that’? That’s easy in hindsight.

‘’We don’t like it when it happens to the Met, and I’m certainly not going to do it to the Portuguese.”