Nearly two decades after Madeleine McCann disappeared in Praia da Luz, Christian Brueckner has publicly spoken about his alleged whereabouts on the night the three-year-old vanished — offering an account he had never previously disclosed in public.

BRUECKNER SAYS HE WAS CLOSE TO THE RESORT

Brueckner, whom German authorities have identified as the prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance, claims he was on a beach approximately 150 yards from the resort where the McCann family was staying.

According to his account, he was in the area that evening and was attempting to leave Praia da Luz as police activity intensified following Madeleine’s disappearance.

He has repeatedly denied having any involvement in what happened to Madeleine.

HIS CLAIM ABOUT THREE POLICE STOPS

Perhaps the most striking part of Brueckner’s account is his claim that Portuguese police stopped him three times that night while officers were searching the area for Madeleine.

He says he was driving away as police checkpoints and emergency activity appeared throughout Praia da Luz.

However, this part of his story has not been publicly confirmed by Portuguese authorities in the sources currently available. That distinction is important: the three police stops are an allegation made by Brueckner himself, rather than an established fact in the investigation.

WHY HIS STATEMENT MATTERS

Brueckner has previously avoided publicly discussing his movements on the night Madeleine disappeared. His new account therefore provides investigators and the public with additional claims about where he says he was and what he says he was doing.

At the same time, the statement does not amount to a new official finding that changes the status of the investigation.

German prosecutors named Brueckner as their prime suspect in 2020, but he has never been formally charged in connection with Madeleine’s disappearance and continues to deny involvement.

THE INVESTIGATION REMAINS OPEN

Madeleine disappeared from the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, when she was three years old.

The investigation has continued across Portugal, Germany and the United Kingdom. Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange remains active, while German authorities continue to treat Brueckner as a key suspect.

New searches have also taken place in Portugal in recent years as investigators continued examining evidence connected to the case.

For Madeleine’s family and those who have followed the case for nearly 20 years, Brueckner’s latest account raises another set of questions — but it does not yet provide a confirmed explanation of what happened to Madeleine.

The central mystery remains unresolved: What happened to the three-year-old girl after she disappeared from the Praia da Luz resort?

Source: The Independent, ITV News and reporting on the latest Brueckner statements.