Since the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007, the case has remained unsolved. This week, Portuguese police launched a large-scale search at the request of German authorities. Reports indicate that German prosecutors believe Christian Brückner, a convicted German sex offender currently in prison, is involved in the case, but more evidence is needed for a conviction.

The search took place in the Algarve region of southern Portugal, where police used ground-penetrating radar to investigate several hectares of land. This operation is described as the largest since the initial investigation ended in 2008. Portuguese and German police set up barricades in locations such as Atalaia and closed off relevant areas.

Madeleine disappeared on May 3, 2007, while vacationing with her family at Praia da Luz in the Algarve, drawing widespread international media attention. While Brückner has been named a primary suspect by German authorities, there is still a lack of direct evidence linking him to the case.