British authorities announced Wednesday that they will continue funding the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann into March of 2020.
The announcement said that while the full funding decision will not be released until October, that the funding for Operation Grange would be on a “similar level” as last year – which was £300,000 (approximately $510,245 CAD)
The Home Office (part of the U.K. government that is responsible for immigration, security and law and order) said the cost of Operation Grange to date is £11.75m ($19,989,190).
The 3-year-old disappeared while on vacation with her parents in Portugal’s Praia de Luz in 2007, sparking an international search and several police investigations, all of which have been under intense public and media scrutiny.
A brief timeline of the Madeleine McCann investigations:
May 3, 2007-- Madeleine McCann is discovered to be missing from the family’s accommodation at the Ocean Club complex in Portugal’s Praia da Luz.
May 4, 2007-- Portuguese police begin their investigation.
September 2007-- After further questioning by Portuguese police, Kate and Gerry McCann are made ‘arguidos’ or official suspects in their daughter’s disappearance.
October 2007-- Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral, who is in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticizing British police.
July 2008 --Portuguese police shelve their investigation and lift the status of ‘arguido’ from the McCanns and local ex-pat Robert Murat.
March 2009 -- The McCanns launch a new appeal for information from the area Madeleine disappeared.
November 2010 -- The McCanns push for a joint U.K. and Portuguese review of all the evidence in the investigation.
May 2011 -- Then-U.K. prime minister David Cameron asks London’s Metropolitan Police to assist the investigation.
March 2012 -- Police in Porto, Portugal launch a review of the original investigation.
June 2013 -- The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police (Operation Grange).
October 2013 -- Portuguese detectives reopen the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance after an internal review.
October 2015 -- The official Twitter account associated with the official search for Madeleine is shut down because of abuse from other users.
April 2016 -- Theresa May, then the British home secretary, grants Scotland Yard £95,000 in extra funding to continue the search.
March 2017 -- The Home Office gives Operation Grange another £85,000 to extend the search for six more months.
September 2018 -- The Home Office confirms Operation Grange will get continued funding, estimated at £300,000.
March 2019 -- Netflix launches their documentary series ‘The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann,’ which becomes one of the most watched Netflix documentaries in the U.K.
June 2019 -- The Home Office confirms Operation Grange will receive a ‘similar level’ of funding as last year, saying the cost of Operation Grange to date is £11.75 million.
