A photograph taken of a blonde toddler in Morocco was not of missing 4-year-old Madeleine McCann, several news organizations reported Wednesday.
Britain’s Press Association reported that journalists determined that the girl in the photograph is believed by villagers in Zinat to be 5-year-old Bushra Binhisa, the daughter of an olive farmer.
“She has got a resemblance to Madeleine but when you see her properly, it is obvious it isn't her,” Evening Standard journalist Rashid Razaq told PA after seeing the girl.
On Tuesday, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported on its Web site that a Spanish couple on vacation had photographed a girl that resembled the missing tot. The site, www.elmundo.es, showed the photo of a young blond girl being carried on somebody's back in a sling. The photo was somewhat blurry but did appear to bear a resemblance to published photos of the missing girl.
The paper said the photo was taken by tourists from the Spanish town of Albacete during a visit to Morocco.
Madeleine went missing on May 3 while her family were on holiday in Portugal, triggering an international search and a high-profile campaign.
Portuguese police have named her parents as suspects, but they deny any involvement and say they believe she is still alive.