German prosecutors say they'll examine objects found in McCann search in Portugal

German prosecutors said Thursday that they will examine objects that were found in a search in Portugal last week for clues regarding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, but can't yet say whether they are linked to the British girl who went missing in 2007.

German prosecutors said Thursday that they will examine objects that were found in a search in Portugal last week for clues regarding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, but can't yet say whether they are linked to the British girl who went missing in 2007.

Investigators spent three days last week searching around a dam some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Praia da Luz resort in southern Portugal, where the 3-year-old girl was last seen 16 years ago. The search was instigated by prosecutors in Braunschweig, Germany, who are investigating a German man in connection with her disappearance.

In a brief statement Thursday, prosecutors said that "some objects were secured," without giving further details.

"These will be evaluated in the coming days and weeks," they added. "It cannot yet be said whether individual objects are actually related to the Madeleine McCann case."

They thanked Portuguese and British police for their cooperation and added that they expect their investigation of the 46-year-old suspect in the case will continue for a long time.

In mid-2020, German officials said the German citizen, identified by media as Christian Brueckner, was a suspect in the case. Brueckner has denied any involvement.

Brueckner is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman in Portugal in 2005.