New evidence in Madeleine McCann case

Radio Netherlands
14-06-2007

Portuguese police are interviewing two Dutch newspaper reporters who have found a towel in the area identified as the possible burial location of four-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann in a tip-off from a Dutch source.

Wrapped in towels

According to their newspaper De Telegraaf, another tip-off has come in from a different source claiming that a man was seen carrying a child wrapped in towels near the place where Madeleine disappeared. Five Portuguese detectives accompanied the Dutch reporters to the spot where they found the towel, followed by a Portuguese TV camera crew.

Letter

It was De Telegraaf which received the anonymous letter containing clues regarding the whereabouts of the missing child. Both Dutch and Portuguese police are taking the letter very seriously, because it seems to have been written by the same person who last year sent a letter providing the exact location of the two murdered Belgian girls Stacey and Nathalie.

Shrubland

The letter said Madeleine could be found not far from the hotel room she was abducted from on 3 May this year near Praia de Luz, Portugal. It says that she lies buried "north of the road under branches and rocks, around six to seven metres off the road" in a barren and deserted hilly landscape.

Crosses on a map that came with the letter show the alleged location of her body. De Telegraaf handed the letter over to Dutch police who sent a full colour scan to detectives in Portugal. A full-scale search of the area with sniffer dogs is taking place today.

Celebrity appeal

The McCann family has enjoyed broad public support following the abduction of their daughter. A British businessman has offered a reward of 1.5 million euros for a golden tip regarding Madeleine's whereabouts. The famous football players David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have appeared on television to appeal for her release.