After three days of intensive investigations at barrier Plow in her Algarve Portugal for her disappearance Madeline McCannthe operations of the authorities were terminated yesterday after police officers, divers and special investigators “combed” the area.

According to the British media, the police found an important element for the development of the case, which was sent for analysis to a laboratory in Germany.

Authorities have not disclosed the evidence found, but say it, along with other findings such as soil samples, have been sent for forensic DNA testing to a lab in Wiesbaden, Germany.

German prosecutor Christian Wolters said: “Of course we are still looking for the corpse. We’re not just looking for that, of course. There are other things. Any discovery clothes (like some piece of the pink pajamas three-year-old Madeline was wearing when she disappeared) could help the investigation.”

Scientists are expected to have the first results next week, but a full analysis could take months to complete.

Bruckner, 45, referred to the area as “a little piece of paradise”.

Authorities launched the large-scale operation – the first in 9 years – when they received information that a gun and a camera belonging to the main suspect were possibly dumped at the dam.

.Authorities were investigating the scene after receiving information that a video camera and a gun belonging to the main suspect, Christian Brucknerwere probably dumped in a tank at the site.

The camera may hold the solution to the mystery as the German convicted pedophile had a habit of filming his abuses.

Madeleine, who was about 4 years old at the time, disappeared from a hotel room in Praia da Luz, an Algarve resort, on May 3, 2007, while her parents were having dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant.

The spot is about 30 miles from the holiday resort of Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was abducted.