Explainer: Madeleine McCann - 16 years of searching for answers

Polish woman Julia Wendel went viral on social media after she claimed she was Madeleine McCann - the British toddler who went missing in 2007. 

Whether or not Wendel is Madeleine has been widely debated as the McCann case has once again captured worldwide attention and sparked numerous theories and speculations. The case dates back 16 years and has been one of the most high-profile missing person cases globally. 

It started in May 2007 when the McCann family traveled to Portugal for a vacation with three-year-old Madeleine accompanying her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and their friends. One evening, Kate and Gerry went to a restaurant just 300 feet from their apartment, leaving their children, including Madeleine, sleeping there. 

When Kate checked on the children, she discovered that Madeleine was missing, setting off a chain of events that would capture the world's attention. Staff and visitors at the complex searched for her until dawn after calling the police. Shortly after, border police and airport staff were alerted, and hundreds of volunteers joined efforts to find Madeleine.

In June of that year, a Portuguese police chief acknowledged that significant forensic evidence might have been lost because the scene was not adequately secured. Then, for the first time, in August of 2007, investigating officers publicly acknowledged Madeleine might not be found alive.

A year later, Portuguese police said they submitted their final report on the case. In the weeks that followed, authorities shelved their investigation. 

However, in July 2013, Scotland Yard started a formal inquiry after announcing it had "new evidence and new witnesses" in the case. Scotland Yard police claimed to have found 41 potential suspects by the end of October. 

In June 2020, police announced that a 43-year-old German, Christian Brueckner - in prison for rape - had been designated as a suspect. The McCanns thanked the police: "All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive, but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace."

By this point, German detectives have classified it as a murder investigation and stated that they are presuming Madeleine is dead. Brueckner denies any participation in Madeleine's disappearance and has not been charged with any crimes in connection with it. He was also named as a formal suspect in the local inquiry by Portuguese authorities. However, they didn't have any fresh evidence against him, and some experts assume it was an unsuccessful attempt to extend Portugal's statute of limitations. 

Now we get to February 2023, when Wendel’s claims spark renewed interest in the Madeleine McCann case. Wendel claims she has a coloboma in her right eye, similar to McCann, and doesn’t remember most of her childhood. Despite all the confusion and complication, one thing is for sure: Madeleine's disappearance continues to puzzle investigators and the public alike.