London, Thanasis Gavos

The German authorities announced that during the recent three-day research in a dam area in Portugal in the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, several items have been collected that need to be evaluated.

The investigation, carried out mainly by Portuguese officers on the intelligence base of the German police and with the presence of their British colleagues, is believed to be related to the frequent presence at the scene of the main suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance, Christian Brickner.

Known as Christian B., he is being held in Germany for another crime he committed in the wider area of ​​the Portuguese resort where the then four-year-old British girl disappeared in May 2007.

Braunschweig’s public prosecutor’s office said the search at the Arande dam lasted three days, as planned.

“A pre-determined area along the reservoir was thoroughly checked for potential evidence. A number of items were collected in the context of the operation. These will be assessed over the coming days and weeks.

It is not yet possible to say whether any of these items are actually connected to the Madeleine McCann case,” said a spokesman for the German prosecutor’s office.