Madeleine hunt like ‘Groundhog Day’
MADELEINE Mccann’s parents have likened the painstaking search for their daughter as a “bit like Groundhog Day” as they faced their 15th Christmas without her.
In a festive message to their supporters Kate and Gerry Mccann revealed “work and progress” continues into the global hunt for Madeleine, who vanished from a Portuguese holiday apartment in May 2007 when she was three years old.
Writing on the Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page, heart doctor Gerry and Gp-turnedmedical worker Kate, both 53, refer to the pandemic and the sadness of “more suffering for many”, adding: “It feels a little bit like Groundhog Day with Covid and its requirement for social distancing and face masks and sadly more suffering for many.”
The Mccanns, from Rothley, Leicestershire, continued: “We’d all hoped and probably expected things to be quite different by now.
“It’s a little similar in some ways with the investigation to find Madeleine… work and progress continue but with no significant news to share at this stage.”
Kate, who is working across hospitals in Leicester – one of the country’s worst-hit Covid cities – and her cardiologist husband said: “We couldn’t let the opportunity pass to say a very big ‘Thank you’ once again to all our supporters.
“This is our 15th Christmas without Madeleine and yet we still receive so many kind words of encouragement and support, not to mention the many cards.
“Amazing and humbling – thank you so much.”
The couple, who have 16-yearold twins Sean and Amelie, signed off with a ribbon symbol of hope and the words: “Wishing you all an enjoyable and peaceful Christmas. Stay safe and warmest wishes for a brighter 2022. Kate and Gerry.”
Police have vowed to continue searching for Madeleine, who if still alive would now be 18.
Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said they will carry on “until there is nothing left to do” and recently said the force is still “working closely” with German and Portuguese authorities as it was revealed new evidence had come to light which strengthened the case against prime suspect Christian Brueckner.
But she said she could not share details about the breakthrough.
The Met Police’s £12.5million inquiry, codenamed Operation Grange, is set to receive another £300,000 Home Office grant to keep it running until spring.