Scotland Yard’s new leads bring fresh hope says Madeleine McCann’s father
Scotland Yard’s new probe into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is a “big step” bringing fresh hope she will be found alive, her father said yesterday.
Gerry McCann revealed he and his wife Kate have been on an emotional “rollercoaster” as they await the outcome of fresh leads and the pursuit of 38 potential suspects.
Speaking on ITV’s Daybreak, he added: “It’s a big step forward. The most important thing is that for the first time the authorities are actively investigating and we’ve been delighted with the work the Metropolitan Police have been doing over the past couple of years. We knew there were lots of leads that needed to be followed up.”
The Yard announced the new inquiry earlier this month. Mr McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, said: “Not a day goes by where we don’t think about Madeleine. You’re not going to accept that your child’s dead unless there’s conclusive proof.
“We have always lived in the hope that we can find Madeleine, and given the number of cases of children who have been taken and found many years later, there is real hope.
“Unfortunately for us, the biggest problem is that we won’t know what’s happened to Madeleine until we find who’s responsible.”
Madeleine was three years old when she went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in Portugal in May, 2007. Asked about the support he and his wife have received, Mr McCann, 45, said: “We’ve very much kept an even keel throughout.
“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride and I think we’ve conditioned ourselves to staying pretty much on a level. There are ups and downs.”
He said the couple were letting detectives “get on with it”, adding: “It’s taken a tremendous amount of pressure off us as a family to have that support now and to know people are now actively looking.”
Following a two-year review of evidence, Yard officers plan to fly to the Algarve shortly.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said: “The review has given us new theories, new evidence and new witnesses. We remain committed to finding out what happened to Madeleine. We continue to believe there is a possibility she is alive.”