Dr Fiona Payne, one of the 'Tapas Seven' who dined with Kate and Gerry McCann on the night Madeleine vanished, spoke at a vigil marking the 16th anniversary of her disappearance. The event took place in Rothley, Leicestershire, where the McCanns live.
Dr Payne read the poem 'Hope is the thing with feathers' by Emily Dickinson and lit a candle alongside Kate McCann. The 'Tapas Seven' were three couples and one mother who joined the McCanns on holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007. They all co-operated with police and were never made formal suspects.
In a 2008 police interview, Dr Payne described Kate McCann's distress on the night Madeleine went missing, saying she was 'hysterical' and 'absolutely inconsolable'. She recalled Kate pacing, kicking walls, and repeatedly saying they had let Madeleine down.
Madeleine's sister Amelie, now 18, attended the vigil for the first time since she was a toddler. She lit a candle and said: 'It’s nice that everyone is here together but it’s a sad occasion.' Her twin brother Sean did not attend.
The McCanns have not given up hope of finding Madeleine, who would be 19 now. The case remains open, with British and Portuguese authorities continuing to investigate.
