Investigators returned to the dam this morning, accompanied by forestry workers equipped with tools to clear areas of undergrowth and vegetation on one of the banks of the Arade dam.

The searches have taken place with several teams of operatives, accompanied by investigators from the Portuguese, British and German police.

During the first two days of the investigations, no signs or elements were reported that could help unravel the disappearance of Maddie McCann in May 2007.

Despite attempts made by Lusa, the Judiciary Police (PJ) was not available to provide information about the course of the investigations.

Madeleine McCann disappeared from Praia da Luz, in the municipality of Lagos, where she was spending holidays with her parents and siblings, about 50 kilometres from the Arade dam.

These new searches were requested by the German police who suspect the involvement of a German citizen in the disappearance of the child, who allegedly frequented the Arade dam, in the municipality of Silves, in the district of Faro.