Madeleine in Donegal, pictured second from left in 2007
British police have identified up to 20 potential suspects in their hunt for missing Madeleine McCann, a top detective has said, insisting that there is still a hope she is alive.
Madeleine has many relatives throughout Co Donegal, her father Gerry’s family are from the county. Gerry and Kate spent some time on holidays in Dungloe a few months ago, visiting cousins and friends.
The missing girl visited her Donegal relatives just three weeks before her disappearance in Portugal.
Maddie went missing on May 3 in Praia da Luz in 2007 during a family holiday. She would now be 10 and her parents insist the search for her is very much ongoing as police continue a review.
In a statement Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell said: “The purpose of the review was to look at the case with fresh eyes and there is always real benefit in doing so.
“The review has further identified both investigative and forensic opportunities to support the Portuguese.
“There is more than a handful of people of interest which could be explored further if only to be eliminated.
“The key things are to investigate the case and our work is happening to support the Portuguese.”
He told London Evening Standard that the Met squad had done a “fantastic” job in identifying “further investigative and forensic opportunities.”
“We have to ask ourselves why are cases unsolved and, on many occasions, we find we passed the suspects by already and the suspect sits within our system,” he said.
The detective also said Madeleine could still be alive, adding: “You cannot exclude it.”
He said: “You only have to look at the case in Cleveland, Ohio, and the European cases. Of course there is a possibility she is alive.
“But the key is to investigate the case and, alive or dead, we should be able to try and discern what happened.”
The McCanns, who live in Leicestershire, have been kept closely informed of Scotland Yard’s review, codenamed Operation Grange, over the past two years.
A spokesman for the couple said: “They have been encouraged from the moment the review started and are now greatly encouraged that police have drawn up a short list of people who they believe are of interest to the inquiry.”