Parents of missing British girl bring search to Africa, Morocco

The parents of Madeleine McCann have brought their search to Morocco, the British Embassy said Monday. The girl disappeared in May while on a family vacation in Portugal.

Kate and Gerry McCann arrived in the North African kingdom on Sunday to look into claims that a man and young girl matching Madeleine's description were spotted in Marrakech six days after the child went missing. The British media reported on the alleged sighting, but both British and Moroccan authorities initially ignored the claim.

The McCanns flew from Lisbon to the northern coastal city of Casablanca on Sunday evening for a two-day visit. They will meet with government officials and child welfare organizations, British Embassy official Mohamed Matrane said.

A meeting with Interior Minister Mohamed Benaissa was also scheduled and the couple plans to hold a news conference later Monday in the capital, Rabat.

Madeleine disappeared from a hotel complex in Praia da Luz, a resort town in Portugal's Algarve region on May 3. Her parents left her and her 2-year-old twin siblings alone in their hotel room while they dined at a nearby restaurant.

Since then, the couple has launched an international campaign to find the girl, enlisting the aid of celebrities including soccer star David Beckham and J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series.