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This page contains maps and aerial photographs of the Ocean Club complex.
Map of Praia da Luz showing Ocean Club sites |
What is commonly referred to as the 'Tapas Reception' is marked as the 'Pool Entrance' on this map. This area was, apparently,
neither staffed nor covered by CCTV on the grounds, presumably, that it was not really a reception area but simply an entrance
to the Ocean Club facilities. This is the only way in, or out, of the site.
The main 24hr reception, where we are told Matthew Oldfield was sent to call the police, is in a completely different
place - as indicated on this map. This, we are led to believe, is staffed 24 hours and has CCTV but only pointing at the safety
security boxes.
Map showing the sites of the Ocean Club facilities |
On this map showing the Ocean Club facilities, the 'Tapas Reception/Pool Entrance' is described as 'Customer Services'
and indicated by the number '4'. (The map can be enlarged slightly by clicking on it).
What is interesting from this map is that it gives details of where the different childrens groups were based.
The 'Mini & Toddlers Club' for 2-yr olds, where Sean and Amelie would have been placed, is based within the
Ocean Club complex, close to the tapas bar, indicated by number '6'. But the 'Kids Club' for 3-5 yr olds, where Madeleine
would have been placed, is actually some distance away. It appears to be marked by the number '2' but we have since
been given to understand that Madeleine was actually based in a building (unmarked on this map) close to the main reception,
indicated by the number '13'.
Charlotte Pennington, who nannied at the 'Baby & Toddlers Club' for 4 to 12 month age group, would only have
had contact with Madeleine when the children all came together at the end of the day for 'High tea'. Her location is indicated
by the number '7' and is within the Ocean Club complex.
Aerial view of the Ocean Club complex |
Casa Liliana, the home of Robert Murat and his mother Jenny, is situated at the end of the road that runs horizontally across
the top of the McCanns' apartment, which is indicated by number '1'.
A closer look at the Ocean Club complex |
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| Click image to enlarge |
There are a few points to clarify in the labelling of these photographs.
Firstly, the tapas restaurant is not the building indicated but the next one around. The tapas restaurant/bar is situated
across from the McCanns' apartment with the swimming pool in between.
Secondly, the entrance to the complex has been misleadingly labelled 'Main entrance'. This is not the 'main' entrance,
it is the only entrance. There may be some confusion between this and the main reception, which, as we have already seen,
is in a completely different place.
Finally, on first sight, the labelling of the side entrance to the McCanns' apartment appears to show a line pointing
to the 'Main entrance' area. This is simply a coincidental mark on the photograph.
A different view of the Ocean Club complex |
Again, in this photograph, the tapas bar/restaurant is incorrectly labelled. The building that is indicated here is the
building that houses the 'Mini & Toddler 2's Club'.
The tapas bar/restaurant is down and to the left of where indicated, across the swimming pool from the McCanns' apartment.
The route GNR sniffer dogs tracked Madeleine's scent on 08 May 2007 |
This aerial
photograph shows the trail that two police sniffer dogs took as they tracked Madeleine's scent on 08 May 2007, at 11:45pm.
Two trained dogs were taken to the family's holiday apartment and
followed a trail some 100 yards to a nearby car park - where British holiday-maker Derek Flack told police he had seen a man
staring at the McCanns' flat.
The dogs lost the trail in the car park, and their Portuguese handlers said they could have been distracted by the odour
of nearby bin bags left out in the heat.
Kate McCann had given the dog team a towel she had used to dry Madeleine after a bath, and they took her scent from that.
The route GNR sniffer dogs tracked Madeleine's scent on 04 May 2007 |
On 05 May 2007, the Daily Mirror reported that 'Maddy went missing at the Mark Warner Ocean club resort in the coastal village of Praia da Luz on Portugal's
Algarve. A trail of her scent picked up by police dogs at the flat was followed to a supermarket
just 400 yards away where it disappeared'. Clearly, it should have read 400 feet, not yards. The two pictures
above detail this route.
However, this report is not supported by the facts contained within the PJ's files.
The Chief of the GNR Search and Rescue Team, who coordinated all the work carried out by the two sniffer dogs, states
that the dogs took the same route on both 04 May 2007 and 08 May 2007 - i.e. around the apartments and into the nearby car
park, where the trail was lost. (Statement can be viewed on this page)
Although we now know the route described by the Daily Mirror, and highlighted above, to be incorrect, the pictures remain
as they do provide good aerial views of the area and also provide a good example of how incorrect newspaper reports can take
on a life of their own.
The entrance to the Baptista supermarket where Gerry is believed to have bought a bottle of New Zealand wine, 'Montana
Sauvignon', that he and Kate drank before leaving for the Tapas restaurant on the evening of May 3rd.
This further aerial shot shows the McCanns' apartment and the Baptista supermarket in relation to the village of Praia
da Luz. The black line indicates a distance of 400 yards from the McCanns apartment.
The Ocean Club tennis courts |
In this picture you can see the grassy area and storybook cottage where photographs of Madeleine were taken - according
to Associated Press, by a family friend.
The main apartment block in the background is Block 5, where the McCanns and their friends were staying.
It is worth noting that this is not necessarily the tennis courts where Gerry had all his lessons, although it may be.
There were also three tennis courts beside the kids club, where Madeleine was placed every day.
The Ocean Club swimming pools |
This photograph shows the main pool and kiddies pool where the 'last photograph' of Madeleine was taken.
The children sitting on the edge of the pool are in almost the exact same spot that Gerry, Amelie and
Madeleine were when Kate took their photograph.
In the background you can see the cliffs that Kate and Gerry jogged up on a regular basis.
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