Madeleine McCann: German police issue statement as Algarve reservoir search begins

The search began this morning.

Police in the search for Madeleine McCann have issued a statement as they begin to search a reservoir in the Portuguese Algarve the main suspect in the case often visited. Police in the case were seen entering the water earlier this morning at the Barragem do Arade reservoir, which suspect Christian Brueckner was known to frequent. Investigators now believe this is the person responsible for Madeleine's disappearance after she vanished from a holiday home without a trace at the age of three in 2007. [caption id="attachment_581003" align="alignnone" width="1024"] BERLIN - JUNE 06: Kate Mc Cann, the mother of the missing 4-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann looks at a poster showing her missing daughter during a press conference on June 6, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. Kate and her husband Gerry are in Berlin to spread the word in the search for their missing duaghter Madeleine who disappeared from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3, 2007. (Photo by Miguel Villagran/Getty Images)[/caption] The reservoir in question is around 50km from Praia da Luz, the place Maddie was last seen, and now a police motor boat has been sent out to search. A Policia Judiciaria have released a statement saying that they are co-ordinating searches in the Algarve at the request of German police and in the presence of British officers, according to The Independent. British police are expected to travel to Portugal to oversee the new search, with Scotland Yard liaison officers due to keep the McCann family updated on any changes in the case. Police officers at the reservoir have now appeared to have collected bags of evidence which have been carried away from the site. German authorities have also confirmed the search is happening but could not provide more details "for tactical reasons.” Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told German state broadcaster NDR that they “have grounds to believe” there is evidence in this area. He has previously stated that police can not give any "concrete information" on why they decided to go ahead with this search. “They are not tips that come from the accused... but you can imagine that we don`t start searching somewhere in Portugal on the off chance, but that there must be a good reason for it,” he said.

READ MORE

Strictly Come Dancing's Amy Dowden diagnosed with breast cancer aged 32.

Madeleine McCann: Police found photos of reservoir in suspect's home.

Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu admits she has lost all of her friends since being on Love Island.

Patrick Kielty plans to host the Late Late as well as his Saturday morning BBC radio show.