4 February 2008
Evening Herald
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| Marcos Aragão Correia |
Barragem do Arade reservoir search
- Marcos Correia
- funding search - estimated 1,800 per day
- received tip-off from top criminal in area that Madeleine abducted and dumped in the lake
- identified site on Dec 10 2007, told detectives but was ignored
"This lead is quite credible. I don't believe Kate and Gerry did it. It could have been a single madman or a gang, I don't know."
- Barragem do Arade Reservoir
- 150ft deep in places
- short journey from Silvea - where truck driver claimed saw woman and man with child on May 5 2007
- six 'frogmen' searching by touch alone due to murky water
- sits beside a derelict hilltop diner and car park used as a camping site
- Jeremy Vargas
- went missing in Gran Canaria two months before Madeleine
- Vargas family said police believe cases may be linked
- Clarence Mitchell
- welcomed breakthrough
"We're grateful to anyone who feels they have important information in the search for Madeleine. "If his search produces significant results he must, of course, share that information with the police and our investigators."
Divers are trawling through a deep-water reservoir in the latest twist in the search for missing toddler Maddie McCann.
The search, near the Algarve resort where Madeleine went missing in May, is being funded by lawyer Marcos Correia after a criminal tip-off that she was dumped in the lake after being abducted.
And in what appears to be confirmation of the theory, the diving crew say they have already found a 17ft cord which may have been used to tie up the tragic four-year-old.
The desolate reservoir, in Barragem do Arade, is 150ft deep in places and matches clues Portuguese lawyer Mr Correia says he was given by a top criminal in the area.
The site is also just a short journey from Silvea, where a trucker claims he saw a woman and a man with a child fitting the description of Madeleine on May 5, and sits beside a derelict hilltop diner and car park used as a camping site.
The underwater unit began their grim task last Thursday. But because of the murky water, the six 'frogmen' at the site are only able to search by touch alone as there is almost zero visibility in the dark depths.
"I am convinced this is the place," explained Mr Correia. "My sources told me Madeleine was thrown into a deserted lake with murky waters, a beach and lots of trees.
Investigations
"I believe this would have been the best place for someone to have dumped the body, based on my investigations.
"It's not overlooked, has easy access by car and if you threw the body from the tower (nearby) the water is 55ft deep there," he said.
News of the grim potential lead follows comments from Portugal's top police officer that his force may have acted with "hastiness" when making the McCann's suspects.
It comes after the family of seven-year-old boy Jeremy Vargas, who went missing in Gran Canaria two months before Madeleine, said police believe the cases may be linked.
And after the apparent acceptance that Madeleine may in fact have been abducted, Mr Correia says he is determined to check out his lead.
He is currently funding the dive search at an estimated €1,800 per day. Two months ago he says he told detectives about the site, but was ignored.
"I was able to identify the site on December 10 and immediately informed police, who did nothing," he claimed.
"I got tired of waiting for them to act on my information, so I decided to act.
"I will stay here as long as is necessary to try to solve this mystery. I don't care how much the divers cost, what matters is that my conscience will be clear.
"This lead is quite credible. I don't believe Kate and Gerry did it. It could have been a single madman or a gang, I don't know."
Responding to the latest potential lead in the hunt for the missing toddler, official McCann spokesperson Clarence Mitchell welcomed the possible breakthrough.
"We're grateful to anyone who feels they have important information in the search for Madeleine.
"If his search produces significant results he must, of course, share that information with the police and our investigators."
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