Timeline of the 15-year search for Madeleine McCann

As Portuguese officials name an official suspect, the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann has involved 15 years of twists and turns.

In less than two weeks it will have been 15 years since three-year-old Madeleine McCann vanished while on holiday with her family in Portugal.

Madeleine went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in the holiday resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, just a few days before her fourth birthday.

On Friday, German man Christian Brueckner was named an “official suspect” in the case by Portuguese prosecutors.

Brueckner has been the prime suspect since he was named by German police two years ago, with officials sensationally revealing they believed he killed the girl.

The case of Madeleine McCann has gripped the world, with investigations spanning thousands of kilometres as new clues emerged over the years.

Here is a timeline of how the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance has unfolded.

Madeleine McCann disappeared in Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3, 2007. Picture: Metropolitan Police/AFP

2007

On May 3, Maddie was holidaying with her parents at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann went to have dinner with a group of friends at a tapas restaurant in the complex, leaving Maddie and her younger siblings sleeping in their hotel apartment.

The adults routinely checked on the children, but when Kate went to check at 10pm she discovered Madeleine was missing.

The police were called and the family, friends, staff and officials searched the complex throughout the night. Border police and airports were also notified.

On May 12, Madeleine’s birthday, Portuguese police announced they believed she was abducted but was still alive and in Portugal.

On May 26, authorities issued a description of a man possibly seen carrying a child the night Madeleine vanished.

Over the next few months, hopes of finding Madeleine alive began to wane, with police admitting in June that critical forensic clues may have been destroyed at the beginning of the investigation.

Kate and Gerald McCann talk to the press after attending a church service in Praia da Luz, southern Portugal, May 6, 2007. Picture: AP

The apartment hotel building where Madeleine McCann disappeared.

On September 7, investigators declared Kate and Gerry “arguidos”, or official suspects, following further questioning.

This sparked widespread speculation that they could be involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

The couple returned to the UK, with Portuguese police federation Carlos Anjos accusing them of hindering the investigation.

On October 2, Chief Inspector Gonçalo Amaral was removed from the case after accusing British detectives of only investigating clues and leads the McCann parents wanted followed up.

2008

On January 20, the McCanns released sketches of a possible suspect, based on a “creepy man” seen at the resort by another British holiday-maker.

In March, Kate and Gerry accepted £550,000 in libel damages and front-page apologies from British newspapers over allegations they were involved in their daughter’s death.

By the end of July, Portuguese investigators lifted the “arguido” status of the McCanns and shelved the case, declaring all existing avenues of investigations exhausted.

Artist impressions of a man the McCanns claimed could be involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

2010-2011

In November 2010, the McCanns signed a publishing deal to write a book about Madeleine’s disappearance. The book was published in May 2011.

British Prime Minister David Cameron asked the Metropolitan Police for help in the investigation, prompting a two-year review.

2013

In May, UK detectives announced they had identified “a number of persons of interest” as part of their review.

Scotland Yard then announced it was opening a formal investigation after discovering “new evidence and new witnesses”. By October, investigators revealed they had identified 41 suspects.

Portuguese police then reopened their investigation.

2014

British officers flew to Portugal in January to speak with local investigators, prompting speculation arrests were set to be made.

In June, searches were carried out at Praia da Luz area of scrubland southwest of the complex where Madeleine was last seen.

Nothing of interest was uncovered.

Four suspects were questioned by police the following month.

Madeleine McCann has been missing for almost 15 years. Picture: AP

2015-2019

Scotland Yard confirmed it was scaling back investigations in October 2015.

In April 2017 the four official suspects questioned by police were ruled out.

In June 2019, the UK government announced it would fund the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance until March 2020.

2020

In June, police revealed they had identified a suspect, a 43-year-old German man, identified by the media as Christian Brueckner.

The suspect was already serving time in prison for rape and drug offences and had multiple previous convictions relating to child abuse.

Investigators believed he was living in a borrowed VW camper van in the Algarve region of Portugal at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance.

Christian Brueckner has been the prime suspect since 2020. Picture: Italian Carabinieri Press Office/AFP

2021

By this time, months of investigations into Brueckner still hadn’t resulted in charges.

This was despite German prosecutors claiming they had a compelling but circumstantial file of evidence against Brueckner, including data records that showed his mobile phone was in use close to the apartment where Madeleine was last seen.

Brueckner’s lawyer, Freidrich Fulscher, repeatedly insisted his client was not involved in the case.

Despite this, he remains the prime suspect.

2022

Early in 2022, Brueckner broke his silence on the case, saying in a series of letters from prison that it would have been “absurd” for him to have abducted Madeleine.

In a string of letters to German TV station Sat 1, Brueckner dismissed the case against him, saying if he had been involved, it would have risked his criminal life.

In April, Brueckner was named an “official suspect” or “arguido” in the case by Portuguese prosecutors.

Brueckner’s lawyer denied reports his client had been charged over the young girl’s disappearance.

The move from Portuguese officials came just weeks before Portugal’s 15-year statute of limitations kicks in for serious crimes, by which time laying charges would become very difficult.