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Forum > Hunt for Madeleine moves to Malta

 
John

John

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6229150.stm

Police in Malta say they are investigating possible sightings of Madeleine McCann, 50 days after she disappeared from a Portuguese resort.
A number of UK tourists have reported seeing a child resembling the missing four-year-old in the island's capital, Valletta, and the resort of Sliema.

One said he saw a couple with a girl, who appeared to be wearing a black wig.

Meanwhile, yellow balloons will be released in 50 countries to keep up vigilance in the search for Madeleine.

Superintendent Pierre Calleja said Maltese police had received a report last Sunday of a possible sighting.

"Subsequent to this report, a full scale police investigation and a magisterial inquiry were initiated," he said.

"These investigations are actively in progress and all possible avenues are being pursued."

A spokesman for Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, said they were not giving credence to the claims at this stage.

Kites and doves

Madeleine went missing from Praia da Luz in the Algarve on 3 May.

Her parents, from Rothley in Leicestershire, will release 50 yellow balloons from the resort's beach today to mark the anniversary of her disappearance.

Supporters in countries including Ireland, Argentina, the US, Singapore and Australia will then follow suit.

In Afghanistan people will race kites emblazoned with pictures of Madeleine and in California, 50 white doves will be released.

A message from the McCanns on the FindMadeleine website said: "The objective is simple - after seven weeks missing, we must continue to ensure she is not forgotten."

Maltese newspaper In-Nazzjon reported that two tourists told police they had seen a girl matching Madeleine's description in Valletta.

Other reports said four more people had subsequently come forward with possible sightings.

A Maltese magistrate has taken evidence from those claiming to have seen Madeleine.

'Pitch black' hair

Ray Roberts, from Anglesey, north Wales, said he saw a child in Sliema wearing what looked like a black wig and being told "Get up, little girl" by a man of Arab appearance.

"It was obviously not his first language so it seemed odd that he had to speak to her in English," Mr Roberts said.

"As a father, their reaction did not seem natural."

He added: "Then I noticed the little girl's hair.

"It was pitch black, very thick and cut in an unusual style for a child that age - very much like a wig rather than real hair.

"The more I think about what I saw the more convinced I become that it may well have been Maddie.

"The oddness of it all played out in my mind until I got home then I realised I had to do something."

The McCanns' spokeswoman said they were not focusing on the sightings until more information was available from an official source.

"Their whole attitude from day one has been that they know there are going to be lots of bits of information, but if they expended energy on every single one of them what would they be like by now?" she said.
22 jun 2007, 09:57
Carola

Carola

Gelukkig, weer een 'sighting' is het eerste wat ik dacht toen ik dit bericht las (bedankt John voor het volgen van de Britse media!).

Vervolgens denk ik echter, is het niet verkeerd van de BBC om dit soort berichten te publiceren?

Stel je voor, het is Maddie...dan wordt de ontvoerder toch gewaarschuwd, dat men hem/haar op het spoor is?

Moeilijk hoor.

Je hoopt dat ze in het nieuws blijft, maar tegelijk weet je vrijwel zeker dat ze hierdoor mogelijk nog 'onzichtbaarder' wordt.
De ontvoerder zal haar nog minder vaak mee naar buiten nemen.....als hij of zij dat al van plan was.

Tevens vraag ik me af, waarom er dan geen foto's door zo'n toerist gemaakt zijn.
Onder het mom van een omgevings'kiekje' even snel een foto maken..

Maar goed, 4 personen die haar blijkbaar gezien hebben....
Dat is best wel veel....
Zou er dan misschien nu een ontknoping mogelijk zijn?

Hopelijk hangen er bewakingscamera's in die buurt...
En worden de beelden dit keer wel bekeken voordat ze gewist worden (zoals blijkbaar in Marokko is gebeurd).

Elke dag kijk ik even op de site voor Maddie.

Elke dag hoop ik op een wonder.

En elke dag denk ik aan dit meiske en aan alle andere ontvoerde kinderen die ver weg zijn van hun papa's en mama's en niet snappen wat en vooral waarom dit gebeurt.



23 jun 2007, 13:50