London ( CNN ) -- British girl Madeleine McCann , who vanished during a 2007 family vacation in Portugal , may still be alive , UK authorities said Wednesday . Madeleine was a few days shy of her fourth birthday when she disappeared from her family 's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents dined in a nearby tapas restaurant with friends . Despite a huge police investigation , massive coverage in the Portuguese and British media , and a public riveted on social media , she remains missing . London 's Metropolitan Police on Wednesday released a new image of the girl created in collaboration with the family that shows how Madeleine might look at age 9 . Her ninth birthday is May 12 . Timeline of the case . An investigative review formed in May last year has been going through details from the case . `` As a result of evidence uncovered during the review , they now believe there is a possibility Madeleine is still alive and are appealing for anyone who is able to provide direct information as to her whereabouts to contact the team , '' police said in a statement , without disclosing any details on the possibility of new leads . Investigators are combing through about 100,000 pages of information for more details , authorities said . `` The intention is to identify from that material investigative opportunities which we will then present to the Portuguese authorities who retain primacy for the investigation , '' police said . `` Officers have so far identified around 195 such opportunities within the historic material , and are also developing what they believe to be genuinely new material . '' Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood , who is leading a team of more than 35 officers focused on the McCann case , said they `` will continue to put Madeleine McCann at the heart of everything we do . '' Redwood has visited Portugal seven times since the disappearance and has regular contact with the girl 's parents . The investigation is split equally down two lines -- one assuming that Madeleine is dead , the other that she is alive , police said . Since her disappearance , her parents have appealed for help and said there 's a chance she may still be alive . Frequent reports of sightings of her in various parts of the world have sparked frenzies . Last year , a report of a girl bearing a resemblance to the child created a spike on social media . A spokesman for the girl 's parents said the latest report is no more credible than other tips that proved incorrect over the years . Portuguese investigators closed the case in July 2008 .
Madeleine McCann vanished during a 2007 family vacation in Portugal . London 's Metropolitan Police release an image of how the girl might look now . They say evidence uncovered during a review of the case gave new hope . A family spokesman says the new report is no more credible than others .