Madeleine McCann still alive, police believe
Detectives reviewing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal five years ago say there is good evidence to suggest she is still alive.
They have issued an image of how she might look now, on the eve of her ninth birthday, and stepped up calls for the Portuguese authorities to renew the search for her.
Scotland Yard says it has uncovered nearly 200 potential leads during its review of Madeleine’s disappearance, from a holiday complex in Praia Da Luz, and Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is heading it, says “the best opportunity” now exists to finally resolve the mystery.
The review began last May following a plea to Prime Minister David Cameron by Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry.
The Scotland Yard squad is collaborating with a senior investigating officer in Portugal, and has been in regular contact with the McCanns, including discussions on the new image they released today.
Officers are reviewing material not only from the UK inquiries, but also from the Portuguese investigation and those of private investigators and agencies.
The Metropolitan Police says the team is working its way through 40,000 pieces of information amounting to around 100,000 pages.
‘Abducted by stranger’
Only the Portuguese legal authorities can reopen the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance, from the family’s holiday flat in Praia Da Luz.
And while police there have been re-examining their 2007 investigation, and are said to be co-operating with the UK police review, there is no indication yet that the case is about to be reopened.
It is understood some detectives in Portugal would like the case reopened but must get judicial approval from the courts.
Speaking just days before the fifth anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance, Det Chief Insp Redwood said he believed she had been abducted by a stranger.
He would not be drawn on what evidence he had to suggest Madeleine, who would be nine now, was alive.
But he said his team of more than 30 officers had found 195 “investigative opportunities” in the 11 months of their review so far, which he hoped would be taken up by the Portuguese authorities.
Mr Redwood said evidence that she is alive stemmed “from the forensic view of the timeline” that there was the opportunity for her to be taken.
Investigations showed that “there do appear to be gaps”, he added.
Madeleine had been staying at the flat during a family holiday in May 2007.
Mrs McCann discovered her daughter was gone when she returned to the flat to check on Madeleine and her two other children while dining with friends nearby.
Portuguese police were widely criticised for their subsequent investigation, during which a British-born man and then the McCanns themselves were declared “arguidos” – official suspects.
Det Ch Insp Redwood said: “We are working on the basis of two possibilities here: one is that Madeleine is still alive, and the second [is] that she is sadly dead.
“Based on the former, we are releasing the age progression image today with a specific appeal: if you know where Madeleine McCann is now, or you have new direct information/evidence about what has happened to her, then please contact us.”
The detective said he was also keen to hear from people who were at the resort between 28 April and 3 May 2007 but had not yet spoken to the police.