In a dramatic new twist in the Madeleine McCann case, police have reportedly discovered previously unseen CCTV footage that could reshape the timeline of events following the three-year-old’s disappearance in Portugal in 2007.
The footage — believed to have been archived under a mislabeled file at a regional transport hub — shows a young blonde girl bearing a striking resemblance to Madeleine boarding a passenger ferry late at night, just days after her disappearance from the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz.
According to senior law enforcement sources, investigators were initially skeptical until facial recognition analysis flagged multiple matching features with Madeleine’s early photographs, including a distinct mark beneath her right eye.
But what truly stunned detectives was the identity of the person accompanying the child.
“It wasn’t a stranger,” one source familiar with the case told reporters under condition of anonymity.
“It was someone previously interviewed — someone believed to have had no further involvement.”
Authorities have declined to name the individual but confirmed that the person had connections to both the McCann family and staff at the Ocean Club resort, raising new questions about how the case was handled in its early stages.
The footage, which lasts approximately 42 seconds, was recorded at a maritime checkpoint in southern Portugal and appears to show the pair passing through security without resistance. Investigators are now working to identify the ferry’s final destination, believed to be within the Iberian Peninsula or possibly en route to North Africa.
“This could be the first credible movement of a child resembling Madeleine outside Praia da Luz,” a British police liaison said.
“It’s a significant turning point — but we must proceed with absolute forensic care.”
The McCann family has been informed of the discovery. A close family friend described them as “emotionally shaken but praying this lead brings long-awaited truth.”
Both Portuguese authorities and Scotland Yard are reviewing the footage frame by frame. A joint press conference is expected later this week once the person seen accompanying the child is officially identified.
