Levi Davis’ family remain hopeful he is still alive, a year after the rugby player went missing in Spain.
The 24-year-old went missing on October 29 of last year. He was staying with a friend in Ibiza when he suddenly left and got on a ferry to Barcelona.
On the journey, Levi sent his mum a video to tell her it. When he arrived he went to an Irish pub, which was the last place he was seen.
But his family have not given up on him, with mum Julie saying to the BBC: “As the days are going by, coming up to the anniversary, it’s bringing it all back again, the emotions. It’s heartbreaking to say the least.
“We’re taking one day at a time, living in hope. I just hope he does turn up, whenever that is.
“I’d have hoped by now there’d be at least some more evidence. The search of the water was so late, it should have been carried out earlier on.”
The morning after his disappearance, passengers on a cruise ship in the port of Barcelona reported a man in the water. The search was stopped after all passengers were accounted for.
Levi’s passport was found at the port a few weeks later. After six months, police confirmed they were investigating the possibility he drowned.
Missing person expert and former police officer Charlie Hedges said he is surprised the initial search was called off as the first hours after a disappearance are the most crucial.
He said: “I found it very strange that it was called off on such an easy check of people on board. There’s no saying whether the person had fallen off the ship or had come from somewhere else.
“I would have expected a much more thorough search to follow assuming the witnesses were credible and corroborated the information they were giving.
“A busy waterway like that with lots of ships going backwards and forwards, it’s tidal, it’s incredibly difficult searching in water anyway.
“And the longer you leave it the more challenging it becomes, the harder it is to track down leads, evidence becomes eroded, witnesses disappear.”
Police in Barcelona have said the investigation is ongoing but there are no updates to share.
