Madeleine McCann's parents issue heartbreaking new statement, 16 years after disappearance

Maddie went missing on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

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In the statement, the couple said: "Today marks the 16th anniversary of Madeleine’s abduction.

"Still missing…… still very much missed. It is hard to find the words to convey how we feel."

Thanking everyone who has supported them through the years the pair added that they "await a breakthrough" from the police investigation.

Earlier this year the Met Police requested more money from the Home Office to extend its investigation into what happened when Madeleine vanished without a trace from the holiday villa the McCanns had been staying in.

Kate and Gerry had been having dinner with friends at a tapas restaurant just 55 metres away.

Since 2011, £13million has been spent on trying to find answers as to what happened to Madeleine.

The McCanns's new statement also included a poem by Clare Polland, titled ‘The Contradiction’, which the McCanns said "resonates strongly" with them.

The poem is about how the absence of a person only increases love for them.

It opens: "The absence contradicts itself: the missing conjures what we miss."

The McCanns are expected to join family and friends tonight to remember their daughter with a gathering taking place in their home village at 7pm.

Ahead of the gathering, Madeleine's great uncle Brian Kennedy said: "Kate and Gerry always feel heartened by the attendance of well wishers.

"It is much appreciated that people still want to show such support."