Date Published: 21/04/2023
ARCHIVED - Fears UK rugby star Levi Davis who went missing in Spain last October may have drowned
Barcelona police are investigating reports by cruise ship staff they saw a man in the water shouting for help
Almost six months after former UK rugby player and X-Factor contestant Levi Davis went missing in Spain, detectives in Barcelona fear he may have drowned.
Catalan police, known as Mossos d'Esquadra, intensified their investigation at the beginning of March to establish whether foul play was involved in the 24-year-old's disappearance without a trace. The last confirmed sighting of the ex-Bath Rugby player was on CCTV in Barcelona city centre at around 10pm on October 29. His passport was found in the port area in November.
A police spokesperson confirmed in March that there were "disturbing" elements close to the case "with no logical explanation".
Now, Levi's mum Julie Davis has been told by police he might have been spotted in distress in the city's port.
Cruise staff report seeing a man in the water shouting for help at 6.30am on October 30.
In a statement issued on behalf of her family, Levi's mum said she and her son's friend Richard Squire had met Spanish police earlier in the week and been given the update concerning the sighting.
"Four members of staff confirmed seeing a man in the water with specific details, including him asking for help in English, and the colour of his clothing.
"A life jacket was thrown from the ship and emergency sea and air rescue services searched the area but they were unable to find him."
"The investigation is still very much ongoing and we are hoping that the port police will authorise and carry out a further search of the waters and other inaccessible areas of the port.
"We would like to thank the Mosso d'Esquadra and the British Consulate in Barcelona for their continued hard work.
"No further comment will be made at this time. We continue to ask that the press respect the feelings and privacy of Levi's family and friends at what is a very emotionally distressing time."
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson told the BBC: "We are providing consular support to the family and friends of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities."
Levi, who appeared on on Celebrity X-Factor in 2019 and was about to release his second solo single, flew to Ibiza on October 17 to visit his friend Richard Squire and work on his music. He stayed until October 29 when he suddenly decided to take a boat to Barcelona.
When Davis failed to touch base with his friend after arriving on mainland Spain, Squire contacted his family back in the UK. The Spanish police launched a nationwide search on November 8.
Aside from a brief voice message to a friend on October 30, Davis hasn’t made any further contact and he was last spotted on CCTV leaving the Old Irish Pub in Barcelona just hours after he arrived in the Spanish city.
Squire has described the last few months as an "emotional rollercoaster".
"I'm dealing with people that I've never met before," he said. "You don't know what information is right, what information is wrong. And it's just incredibly upsetting."
Just over a month since he disappeared hours after landing in Lanzarote, Spain, the frantic family of Scottish man Gary Watson have this week issued a renewal appeal for information on his whereabouts.
Image 1: Levi Davis on Instagram
Image 2: Family Handout
Loading
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
Contact Spanish News Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268