Police searching a reservoir in Portugal for missing girl Madeleine McCann were sparked into action after finding a clue which could crack the case. Investigators unearthed a series of photos and videos in a ‘secret lair’ belonging to prime suspect and convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner.
German officers are understood to have found the potential evidence in a dilapidated factory site in a small village called Neuwegersleben. A major search is now taking place at the Barragem do Arade reservoir - around 31 miles from the Praia da Luz in Portugal - where the McCann family were on holiday when Maddie was last seen in May 2007, the Mirror reports.
The beauty spot is said to be a favourite of the convicted German rapist Brueckner, who allegedly referred to as “his little paradise”. An insider has said that police could be looking for "rags", which could be the pink Marks & Spencer pyjamas worn by Maddie on the night she went missing.
It has emerged that authorities found photographs of the reservoir when Brueckner was arrested six years ago. He is currently in a German jail for a rape he committed in Portugal two years before Madeleine disappeared.
He is also under investigation on suspicion of murder in the McCann case but has not been charged. Throughout the search, a team have focused on a small peninsula jutting into the water, as a group walked in a line and scoured the area, as Sky News reports.
They were joined by a dog and a trainer, and a member of the group was consulting a device he carried. A Portuguese source close to the investigation told The Sun: "The search is being taken very seriously and is being controlled totally by the Germans.
"They asked Portuguese officers assisting them to look for any evidence - but especially rags." Prosecutors have given a fresh update about the new search for Madeleine, as a well-placed police source said.
They said: "Portuguese police are going to carry out a thorough and very careful search of the area today. Policia Judiciaria officers are going to be divided into four teams who will focus on a land search. It will be very meticulous and exhaustive.
"Forget the idea of big trucks and large machinery. A lot of the work that's going to be done here today will be done by hand with backup technology." High-tech equipment used to detect human remains buried under the earth, as well as underwater if required, is expected to be used.
German prosecutors have released a statement to confirm they are working with the Portuguese law enforcement authorities with the support of officers of the [German] Federal Criminal Police Office after tip-offs.
German prosecutor Christian Wolter said: "We are investigating in Portugal on the basis of certain tips (tip-offs)." Speaking to the Mirror hours after fresh searches for missing Maddy began, a cop who worked on the original case said: "I absolutely believe that during my lifetime we will find out what happened to Maddie."
Meanwhile, a cop who worked on the original Madeleine McCann investigation is sure we will find out the truth, as German police "clearly know something."
Child safety expert Gamble, who led the UK's own review of the disappearance of Madeleine, says he declines most interviews but chose to say something today due to the development's significance. He told the Mirror that the German Police statements are "uncharacteristic", as the language they are using suggests they are certain she is dead.
He continued: "From my point of view, the German police clearly know something. They have a level of confidence when they talk about their suspect and Madeleine's death.
"But they have not shared specific reasons with the public, as you don't want to give your suspect any more information than you have to until you're ready to charge them."
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