German and Portuguese police are to begin a new search for the missing Madeleine McCann – who disappeared on holiday in Portugal when she was three years old in 2007. The search will cover the municipality of Lagos, which sits next to Praia da Luz, the town in the Algarve where she went missing nearly two decades ago. Portuguese police confirmed on Monday that they were carrying out the search between 2-6 June on warrants issued by German prosecutors.
Read a full breakdown of the newspapers this morning
The Daily Star calls the news “Maddie search shock” saying 30 German police are taking part in the search for the missing girl in “wells, land and a cottage”. Fresh police searches are due to start tomorrow near the spot where Madeleine McCann was last seen. German police are said to have requested the searches, expected to take place between Praia da Luz where the three-year-old vanished on May 3 2007 and a house near the holiday resort where principal suspect Christian Brueckner used to live.
This headline uses sensational language (“SHOCK”, “SCOUR”) to create drama and urgency. Capitalisation adds to the emotive impact. Mentioning “30 German cops” highlights scale and foreign involvement, adding a sense of seriousness and intrigue. It taps into long-running public interest in the case.
The Sun reports that there will be a “radar search” for Maddie as police plan to dig 15ft down in Praia da Luz to solve the mystery of her vanishing amid a “race to charge suspect.” German cops face a race to charge suspect Christian Brueckner. A source said: “It’s now or never.”The new search for Madeleine will focus on extensive groundwork that took place at the time she vanished. A police theory is the three-year-old or her pyjamas might have been dumped in trenches near the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz where her family were staying in May 2007.
This headline uses urgent, action-driven language (“RACE TO CHARGE”, “RADAR SEARCH & DIG”) to heighten drama. It suggests a breakthrough, keeping public interest high. The phrase “Praia hol flat” adds a personal, familiar touch, reinforcing emotional connection to the case.
The Daily Telegraph leads with the story saying “more than 20 sites to be searched” by German police in the “hunt for Madeleine”. The new effort is set to last a few years and is the first major search in Algarve for two years. Around 30 German police officers, along with forensic specialists, will examine a site on the outskirts of Praia da Luz, where convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner was living at the time.
This headline uses renewed action framing (“major new hunt”) to signal importance and potential progress. Mentioning “20 sites” and a “German suspect” adds scale and international intrigue, while linking a house personalises the story, creating a sense of proximity and suspense.
The Daily Mirror says the latest search for Madeleine McCann has officially begun, 18 years after the British toddler disappeared.
German teams armed with shovels and strimmers are sweeping the area between Praia da Luz, where the three-year-old vanished on May 3 2007, and a house near the holiday resort where principal suspect Christian Brueckner used to live.
A well-placed Portuguese source confirmed this week’s operation would be a land search only. “The main objective is to look for any signs of Madeleine’s body,” he added.
This headline uses time framing (“18 YEARS AFTER”) to emphasise the enduring mystery and persistence of the case. Referring to “German cops” and the “chief suspect” adds authority and focus, while targeting land near his “old house” creates a sense of closeness and possible breakthrough, fuelling suspense.
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