Police divers have launched an underwater search of Barcelona port for missing X Factor star Levi Davis.
The 24-year-old former Bath player and Celebrity X Factor contestant was last seen at The Old Irish Pub in Barcelona on October 29.
It came after it emerged cruise ship staff reported trying to save a man who was in the water near Barcelona’s commercial port.
Davis’s passport was also found nearby.
Weeks after Levis’ family complained about the “slow” response of Spanish authorities, with the search tied up in bureaucracy, divers launched the search of the port of Barcelona and the nearby Llobregat Delta.
A spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra regional police force said: “The searches began this morning about 10am.
“We cannot say at this stage how long they will continue. They’re underwater searches involving divers.”
The police force added in a tweet confirming the search for Levi: “We continue investigating the disappearance of a man on October 29.
“We have mobilised the Maritime Police and the Aquatic Unit to search the port of Barcelona and the Llobregat Delta.
“The case continues to be investigated.”
Local reports say police are expected to conduct searches over several days.
Continuem investigant la desaparició a Barcelona d'un home el 29 d'octubre. Activem la Policia Marítima i la Unitat Aquàtica per fer recerca al port de Barcelona i al Delta del Llobregat. El cas continua obert pic.twitter.com/GbcI5tjmgm
— Mossos (@mossos) May 18, 2023
A spokesman for the force added: “The search is being conducted by the Mossos’ Maritime Police and the Aquatic Unit. It’s an underwater search with the Maritime Police in the boats and the divers involved belonging to the Aquatic Unit.
“The search is taking place because of the possibility this person could have fallen into the water, from information received following his disappearance, around the time he was last seen.
“Civil Guard and Coastguards carried out an initial exhaustive search but found no sign of him.
“The possibility objects or clothes belonging to the man who disappeared were not ruled out and today in the two areas we are mentioning this new search has begun as part of the investigation.
“The objective is to find any evidence that might support the theory of a possible accidental death by drowning.
“The Llobregat Delta is in the southern part of Barcelona where the movement of the waters mean investigators think there could be something in that area.
“The search began at 10am local time but I don’t have information at this stage about how long it will last. We are talking about an underwater search. Court of Investigation Number Seven which is the court overseeing this investigation is aware of today’s search.”
It is thought that Levi walked back down La Rambla and entered the commercial port with his phone last pinging a mast at the far end of the port closest to the sea entrance.
After meeting Spanish police the family were told four cruise staff saw a man matching Levi’s description in the water shouting for help in English at 6.30am on October 30.
In a statement, they said: “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.”
His family criticised “slow” Spanish police with Levi’s mother Julie Davis telling The Sun: “It’s disheartening when you ask police questions and get very limited feedback.
“It’s been a total emotional rollercoaster.
“The way the evidence is pointing isn’t good but without a body, there’s just no way of knowing what’s happened.”
