Levi Davis cops confirm ‘leading theory’ of what happened to missing X Factor star as diver search goes into second day
THE search for missing X-Factor star Levi Davis continued today as police confirmed their leading theory about his disappearance.
Cops were deployed at the bustling Barcelona port today as a single boat searched the waters where they believe the Brit was last seen.
The Sun was on the ground alongside the search - with few answers as to what happened to Levi more than six months on.
Just five officers were seen deep in discussion at the busy tourist hotspot - but were unable to give anymore details of today’s search.
Cops were also unable to confirm how long the hunt for clues may continue.
His passport was found at the port 20 days after his disappearance.
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The 24-year-old aspiring singer and talented rugby player appeared to have a glittering future when he vanished last year on October 29.
He was last seen alone at the Old Irish Pub in the city before appearing to vanish.
Mysteries surround his disappearance - with it being unclear exactly why he went to Barcelona after staying with a pal in Ibiza.
The police boat was seen cruising around the port this morning and appeared to have no divers onboard.
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Investigators are working on the hypothesis that the sighting of a man in the water from a passing cruise ship the morning after he disappeared could have been the missing rugby player.
Cops did confirm that the "principal hypothesis" is that Levi drowned in the sea off Barcelona.
A search is also taking place in the Llobregat Delta, a nearby wetlands close to Barcelona–El Prat Airport.
But cops were unable to reveal what new information had lead to a police search in the area - and it has never been mentioned before in connection with Levi.
The regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force said last month his possible drowning was only “one line of inquiry” and others hadn’t been ruled out.
They made the claim after Levi’s mum Julie Davis revealed she had been told by Catalan police about the cruise ship sighting at around 6.30am on October 30.
Police believe the man spotted by the four members of cruise liner MSC Bellissima may have been Levi.
The cruise ship docked in Barcelona around the same time he vanished, and the man seen in the sea wearing the same light-coloured top as Levi and shouting for help in English.
A lifebuoy was thrown to him and coastguards in Barcelona mobilised their helicopter called Helimer 203 and a vessel called Salvamar Mintaka.
A boat operated by firefighters was also sent to the scene along with police and Red Cross vessels.
The search operation is said to have lasted an entire day but was called off after it was confirmed no-one was missing from the cruise liner.
Levi's disappearance had not been reported to police at the time, leading the port incident to be dubbed a "missed chance" to save him.
A UK Government Spokesperson said: “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.”
Speaking after the first day of a search launched yesterday, a Mossos spokesman said: “We are not saying that the missing man accidentally drowned in the water but it’s the principal hypothesis or at least one of the most important hypotheses.
Confirming the search was continuing today, he said: “The search with the Mossos’ Maritime Police and Aquatic unit began on Thursday and will continue Friday.
“Nothing has been found so far. I cannot say at this stage whether it will continue past Friday.
It emerged early yesterday a search with divers was taking place in the port of Barcelona and the Llobregat Delta, one of Catalonia’s most important wetland zones in the southern part of the regional capital.
The force said in a tweet: “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.”
A Mossos’ spokesman added: “A search is taking place for the man last seen on October 29 in Barcelona port and the Llobregat Delta.
“It’s 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.
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“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.”
