Madeleine McCann Dig Sealed Off In Portugal

As The Inquisitr reported yesterday, the search for Madeleine McCann has resumed in Portugal, as police dig “scrubland” to locate a trace of the long missing girl.

Missing since 2007, Madeleine McCann’s disappearance has puzzled police across nations for years. In Praia da Luz, police have cordoned off areas near the resort to begin digging for what they anticipate to be roughly a week of searching.

However, authorities are also grim about the chance of finding any information on McCann in the foray, given the needle-in-a-haystack nature of the search they’ve undertaken.

One UK paper points out that despite advanced forensic techniques which identify bits of evidence once they’re located, locating the evidence is a rougher matter indeed.

Once found, items of clothing and other evidence can be tested and linked or ruled out, but in order to locate anything, police in Lisbon must identify areas of potentially disrupted terrain (which could be affected for any number of unrelated reasons) and simply dig in the hopes some relevant information will result.

According to The Guardian, Luz Mayor Victor Mata says locals are supportive of efforts to locate Madeleine McCann — but also feel that the timing is disruptive.

Mata explained:

“The official bathing started yesterday and this is time when the number of people in Luz increases four-fold… Livelihoods here depend on the three summer months and this disruption is not good for business. I know of at least two hotels which have had cancellations as a direct result of the searches which started this morning.”

The mayor continued:

“But if police are certain over the fruits their searches might bear, locals here will be the first to join assist in any searches.”

British paper The Independent quotes a source who spoke about the possibility Madeleine’s remains could be uncovered during the search.

The unidentified speaker says that while parents Gerry and Kate McCann hold out hope that Madeleine has been alive all these years, both also realize that the dig in Portugal could bring bad news:

“Obviously there is the chance her body could be found… That is a nightmare scenario for her family, but it would also bring closure. They understandably have to remain positive and assume Madeleine is alive, but the dig raises the possibility of finding evidence that she is not.”

Before the digging began, Scotland Yard’s Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley indicated that even if any evidence is located, chances of it being comprehensive were slim. Two weeks ago, he commented:

“A thorough serious crime investigation works systematically through all the credible possibilities, and often in an investigation you will have more than one credible possibility. Therefore, just because we’re doing a substantial phase of work in the forthcoming week doesn’t mean that it’s going to immediately lead to answers that will explain everything.”

The dig seeking answers in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance is in its second day.

[Image: Age Progression of Madeleine McCann in 2007 and today, via Huffington Post]