There is a significant development in the ongoing search for Madeleine McCann, almost 19 years after her disappearance. Home Office ministers have given the green light to extend funding for Operation Grange, the investigation launched in 2011 following Madeleine’s vanishing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.
The specialized Metropolitan Police team overseeing the probe has been granted £86,000 for the fiscal year 2026/27, a decrease from the previous year’s £108,000 allocation. The total expenses for the investigation have reached approximately £13.3 million since its inception.
Madeleine disappeared while vacationing with her family in Praia da Luz, Algarve, Portugal, in 2007 when she was just three years old. The 19th anniversary of her disappearance is approaching on May 3.
Currently, Operation Grange comprises three police officers and one part-time staff member. DC Mark Draycott, a team member, testified during the trial of convicted rapist Christian Brueckner that he had received information from Helge Busching implicating Brueckner as a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case.
Brueckner was released from prison in Germany in September after serving a sentence for raping a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal in 2005. Despite being a prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance, he has not faced any charges directly related to the case.
In January, Kate and Gerry McCann issued a poignant statement expressing their hopes for a breakthrough in the New Year. They conveyed their gratitude to everyone who has supported them and maintained hope for positive developments regarding Madeleine.
The McCanns extended their appreciation to the public and law enforcement for their unwavering assistance throughout the investigation, concluding their message with well wishes for a peaceful and successful new year, with hopes that 2026 will bring the breakthrough they have been longing for.