By: Cecília Pires
POLICE INVESTIGATORS concentrated their search efforts on the Burgau and Espiche areas on Saturday May 5.
According to sources working at the scene, police still believe “the girl is near the tourist complex”, a local resident said.
Leads on little Madeleine’s possible location prompted police to investigate the Burgau area west of Praia da Luz.
The arrival of Leicester Liaison Officers mid-morning on Saturday gave Madeleine’s parents great comfort – the drama was still there but now they had someone who could liase with the local authorities and communicate information to them.
Outside the McCann’s apartment at the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, reporters were looking for fresh news, watched impatiently by the different police agents, criminal investigators and rescue teams.
The first teams with the search and rescue dogs left the surroundings of the apartment at around 3pm.
Cars and agents were going to search Burgau and Espiche camp sites after they had received information about a suspicious vehicle at these locations.
The Burgau search
More or less at the same time the dogs were leaving the Ocean Club Resort, The Resident was informed about a team of police investigators who were questioning people in a café called Varandas do Burgau, near the beach.
The officers carried a rough photo-fit with them, and showed it to the locals, asking if anyone had seen that person. They were particularly interested in the beach area, leaving other cafés unquestioned.
At around this time rumours were circulating in Burgau that young boy had also disappeared about the same time as Madeleine, but this remains unconfirmed.
At around 7pm many investigators were already out of sight. They had been searching apartments and villas at the Ocean Club and showing pictures to the shoppers and people in streets of Praia da Luz. They were always in small groups of three to four, including some staff members of the resort.
Official silence
A planned press conference which was due to be held at around 8pm was cancelled. According to Director of Faro Polícia Judiciária, Guilhermino Encarnação, there was no new information to release about the case, although the police were investigating new information.
Updated at 22:10 pm, May 5, 2007
