The mystery letter claiming Madeleine had been dumped in the Bravura Dam.

[pathfinder73]

I can't find anything in the files about police divers searching the dam for the moment.

45. Given the number of days that had passed since the disappearance of Madeleine McCann it was considered appropriate to request help from the Lagos Voluntary Firemen who took part in the operations, and on this day carried out searches as the Bravura dam, situated to the north of Odeaxere, using their aquatic equipment, considering that a body that has fallen or been thrown into water tends to surface after 72 hours, this team searched all the branches of the dam using an outboard motor and found nothing suspicious.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GNR_SNIFFER.htm

It wasn't properly searched with divers i.e. body weighed down with rocks.

[Carana]

45. Given the number of days that had passed since the disappearance of Madeleine McCann it was considered appropriate to request help from the Lagos Voluntary Firemen who took part in the operations, and on this day carried out searches as the Bravura dam, situated to the north of Odeaxere, using their aquatic equipment, considering that a body that has fallen or been thrown into water tends to surface after 72 hours, this team searched all the branches of the dam using an outboard motor and found nothing suspicious.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GNR_SNIFFER.htm

It wasn't properly searched with divers i.e. body weighed down with rocks.

Yes, thanks, I'd found that... but not the claimed later search (cf Anna's CdaM article and the Sky one). I reckon the media just copied each other again and it didn't actually take place. I've searched through everything I could think of, but I haven't found anything yet about divers.

[Victoria]

45. Given the number of days that had passed since the disappearance of Madeleine McCann it was considered appropriate to request help from the Lagos Voluntary Firemen who took part in the operations, and on this day carried out searches as the Bravura dam, situated to the north of Odeaxere, using their aquatic equipment, considering that a body that has fallen or been thrown into water tends to surface after 72 hours, this team searched all the branches of the dam using an outboard motor and found nothing suspicious.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GNR_SNIFFER.htm

It wasn't properly searched with divers i.e. body weighed down with rocks.

Skimming around on the surface whilst ignoring the substantially greater depths below seems like a pretty accurate metaphore for the entire Amaral investigation, unfortunately.

[pathfinder73]

Madeleine McCann's family 'would welcome' fresh search of lake close to holiday resort where she vanished amid claims her body may have been dumped there

Rain-sodden letter found on first anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance
Note was discovered outside room where three-year-old vanished in 2007
Claimed her body had been dumped in the Barragem da Bravura reservoir
Letter immediately given to police but underwater search 'never took place'

By JOHN HALL FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:47 GMT, 25 November 2014 | UPDATED: 12:49 GMT, 25 November 2014

Madeleine McCann's family say they 'would welcome' a fresh search of a man-made lake close to the holiday resort where the three-year-old was taken, amid claims her body may have been dumped there.
A rain-sodden letter reportedly discovered outside the room from which she vanished on the first anniversary of her disappearance contained details of what it claimed was her final resting place.
A handyman who discovered the note is said to have immediately handed it to the Portuguese police, but it is understood that a full underwater search of the Barragem da Bravura reservoir - which lies nine miles from the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz - has never been carried out.
Despite the claims made in the letter, there remains no evidence to suggest Madeleine is dead, and her parents Gerry and Kate McCann still cling to the hope that she will one day be found alive.

The letter containing allegations relating to Madeleine's disappearance was discovered by a handyman on the rain-soaked doorstep of the Ocean Club's room 5A - the room from which Madeleine went missing - according to the Mirror.
It was found on the the night of May 3, 2008 - a year to the day of Madeleine's disappearance.

The letter is understood to have been headed 'Madeleine Beth McCann' but otherwise written in Portuguese. It reportedly started with a description of her being dumped in the Barragem da Bravura reservoir which it described as her 'final resting place'.
'I spoke to the other staff about it and they said to hand it in to the Portuguese police. I gave it to them, but I have no idea what they did about it,' the handyman told the newspaper.
He went on to describe Barragem da Bravura as 'the perfect place to hide a body'.





The woodland area surrounding the reservoir is understood to have been searched several months before the emergence of the letter but no underwater investigation was carried out.
Following the discovery of the note, a two-hour second search was carried out using sniffer dogs, but eyewitnesses reportedly claim that police divers were still not deployed.
A spokesperson for Kate and Gerry McCann said they would 'welcome' any new searches of the Barragem da Bravura and the surrounding woodland.
Clarence Mitchell said: 'Kate and Gerry will be informed of what this witness is telling the Daily Mirror.
'We would welcome any new searches. But they cannot comment on any specific detail as that is entirely a matter for Operation Grange and the Portuguese authorities.'

Last week a Portuguese newspaper claimed that police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann want to question British ex-pat Robert Murat.
Scotland Yard detectives want to speak to several potential witnesses including Mr Murat, who was previously questioned by Portuguese police after Madeleine vanished in 2007 just before her fourth birthday, the newspaper Jornal de Noticias reported.
Mr Murat, 41, who has always denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance, said neither he nor his lawyer had been contacted by police, but said he would co-operate if contacted.
Mr Murat was named as an arguido – a person of interest or suspect - during the Portuguese investigation seven years ago, as were Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann.
All three were later cleared when the Portuguese investigation ended in 2008.
Scotland Yard launched its own investigation and its inquiry team travelled to Praia da Luz to conduct searches and observe Portuguese police interviews.
Read more:
Madeleine McCann cops ignored tip-off that her body was dumped in lake - Mirror Online

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2848727/Madeleine-McCann-s-family-welcome-fresh-search-lake-close-holiday-resort-vanished-amid-claims-body-dumped-there.html

[sadie]

This is what it said:

The handyman, who we are not naming but was formerly employed by the holiday resort, immediately handed in the note to the police in May 2008.

So why are they keeping his name secret?  He has done nothing wrong by handing a found note in.

Did someone find that note in 5A doorway .... or is it a red herring laid by someone?

To discourage people from searching for a living Madeleine?

[pathfinder73]

So why are they keeping his name secret?  He has done nothing wrong by handing a found note in.

Did someone find that note in 5A doorway .... or is it a red herring laid by someone?

To discourage people from searching for a living Madeleine?

It's the gardener. Why should he have his name in the press or in forums? He hasn't been found to do anything wrong. You shouldn't be posting his name. You can find him easily in the files yourself.

[pegasus]

Weather on the one year anniversary 3rd May 2008 and the preceding night
Sagres http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/SAGRES/05-2008/85330.htm
Faro http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Faro_Aeroporto/05-2008/85540.htm
PP = Precipitation amount (mm) = zero
And there are photos of that day in PDL showing ground dry, sunshine, little cloud, no rain.
The witness is 100% honest.
The incorrect date is something the UK paper has added wrongly IMO.
(IMO it is probably exactly 7 months out).

[pathfinder73]

Check Wednesdays for rain.

[Carana]

So why are they keeping his name secret?  He has done nothing wrong by handing a found note in.

Did someone find that note in 5A doorway .... or is it a red herring laid by someone?

To discourage people from searching for a living Madeleine?

The guy probably doesn't want to be named. Who would? He may well be on the ever-changing list of people that the Met would like to be interviewed and even if he isn't, he may well not want amateur sleuths googling him for 500 hours or the press camped outside his home.

If it turns out that a letter did exist (although how it would have been legible if sodden remains to be explained), it could have been left by someone who had a suspicion but who didn't want to become embroiled for whatever reason.

[pegasus]

Check the Wednesdays for rain.

Here is the correct date Pathfinder
It was found daytime Wednesday 3rd Oct 2007 IMO
Because although didn't rain at Faro, it rained a lot the previous two days at Sagres.
IMO this rain covered PDL also, extending into night of 2nd Oct.
http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/SAGRES/10-2007/85330.htm

[VIXTE]

It would be better if they searched the phone data for May 2007 covering this area and see whether there is a match of any number used in PDL and also here..

[pegasus]

It would be better if they searched the phone data for May 2007 covering this area and see whether there is a match of any number used in PDL and also here..

Answering on another thread

[jassi]

One assumes that SY know about this letter and have either discounted it or are waiting for warmer weather before donning their swimming trunks.

[Victoria]

One assumes that SY know about this letter and have either discounted it or are waiting for warmer weather before donning their swimming trunks.

That's assuming the letter a) existed and b) was filed correctly.

I suspect there probably was a letter at one point but I doubt it's anywhere now.

[jassi]

Why should you think it would be lost?