The hunt for twins that haven’t been seen since they were kidnapped from their Switzerland home three years ago, has brought an Italian television crew to Canada.

The girls, six-year-old twins Alessia and Livia Schepp, were taken from the Swiss village where they lived by their Canadian-born father, Matthias Schepp, in February 2011.

The kidnapping prompted an international manhunt that spanned three countries. The search intensified after Schepp killed himself in southern Italy a few days after the kidnapping. The children, however, were never found.

On Monday, an Italian television crew descended on Ottawa after receiving a tip that the girls may be living in Canada.

The program 'Chi L'Ha Visto' attempts to find missing people, and takes its crews around the world in its investigations.

According to a mysterious letter sent to the television program, the twins are alive, and one is living in Ottawa and the other is in Lachute, Que. The letter goes on to say someone in Italy may have helped smuggle the children out of Europe with fake passports.

"I ask your help to find out if this story is true, and if you see one of those children," journalist Ercole Rocchetti told CTV Ottawa on Monday. "It's really important for us and for the family."

He also noted that following the kidnapping authorities were looking for twins, and the girls may have been separated.

The TV crew has already been to Lachute, Que., meeting with schools.

"We are in Ottawa to speak to the police (and) to make this appeal to the television," Rocchetti said.

Anyone who may have information about the children is asked to contact CTV Ottawa or the Italian television program at 8262@rai.it.

With a report by CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr