Police divers today started searching the port of Barcelona for the missing X Factor star Levi Davis, who is feared to have drowned.

Divers are also searching the Llobregat Delta, one of Catalonia’s wetland zones near the Catalan capital.

The search for Levi, who vanished after arriving in Barcelona from Ibiza in October, comes weeks after his mother Julie Davis revealed police told her they now believe a man spotted in difficulties in the sea by crew on a cruise liner docking in Barcelona was likely to be her son.

There had been delays in the search for Levi due to red tape, but a spokesman for the police said Maritime Police and the Aquatic Unit are now searching the waters.

 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 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.’

Local reports say police are expected to conduct searches over several days.

Spanish officials indicated late last month around the sixth-month anniversary of Levi’s disappearance that no date had been scheduled for the port and sea searches.

They revealed an investigating judge was waiting for a report from coastguards before deciding when – and if – to authorise any new proceedings including the searches the rugby player’s family were pushing for.

Levi’s mum Julie revealed last month she had been told by Catalan police they now believed her son was likely to be the man four members of cruise liner MSC Bellissima had 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 a helicopter  and a vessel. A boat operated by firefighters was also sent to the scene along with police and Red Cross vessels.

The  sighting came hours after Levi was filmed leaving an Irish pub in the city.

The Mossos d’Esquadra initially insisted Levi’s possible drowning was only ‘one line of inquiry’ and others hadn’t been ruled out.

His mum, Julie, questioned last month why the information about the port sighting was only coming out months later.

She added: ‘I don’t know what to believe anymore. I know the Spanish police can be slow but I can’t make head nor tail of it.

‘There’s lots of answers to questions that I need to know. It’s disheartening when you ask police questions and get very limited feedback.’

CCTV footage showed Levi, 24 when he vanished, leaving the Old Irish Pub near Barcelona’s La Rambla around 10pm on October 29 after taking a boat from Ibiza with just €40 (£35) and no change of clothes.

Detectives have told Levi’s family they have now discovered his phone signal was last picked up in the early hours of October 30 by a telephone mast at the far end of the port closest to the sea entrance.

It had previously been thought his mobile phone, which hasn’t been used since his disappearance, was last pinged close to the city’s main Sants railway station.

The search operation following the sighting by crew from the cruise ship is said to have lasted an entire day but was called off after it was confirmed no one was missing from the cruise liner and police confirmed no one had been reported missing in port waters or in the sea off Barcelona.

Levi’s disappearance had not been reported to police at the time and his passport was not found near a cargo shipment at the port until days later.

Catalan police launched a search off their own backs on November 8 before receiving an official missing persons’ report from an Ibiza-based friend of Levi’s on November 12.

Police investigators admitted they were treating Levi’s disappearance as ‘disturbing’ in February as they confirmed the case had been placed in the hands of a specialist crime unit which is working with the investigating judge.

A spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra confirmed at the time there had been a significant change in the way the probe was being conducted.

He said: ‘This case was initially investigated by a group of officers at the police station the disappearance was first reported to in Barcelona.

‘That’s the general procedure in cases where there are no obvious or very evident signs a disappearance is linked to a crime.

‘Now this case is being led by a specialist investigative unit based in Barcelona.

‘With the information at our disposal, it doesn’t appear that this person has gone missing voluntarily and doesn’t want to be found.

‘We’re dealing with an adult male whose disappearance doesn’t have a logical explanation and which we’re therefore treating as disturbing.

‘It doesn’t necessarily mean he’s been the victim of a crime and it’s important to clarify that the group that’s now investigating this person’s disappearance is not a murder squad or homicide unit because that would mean there is a probability or certainty he is dead.

‘What it is is a unit which has been tasked with this case following the initial investigation by officers at the station where this person was reported missing.

‘It’s a higher level of investigation now and a more specialist investigation.’

The police revelation followed claims Levi was £100,000 in debt to Somali criminals and Levi said he had been blackmailed over a sex tape and his life was in danger in a chilling last video he recorded shortly before vanishing.

Levi played premiership rugby union for Bath between 2017 and 2020, when he joined Ealing Trailfinders. A year later he signed for Worthing Raiders.

The rugby player-turned-reality star performed on X Factor: Celebrity in 2019 with fellow rugby players Ben Foden and Thom Evans as part of the group Try Star. In 2020 he appeared on E4 dating series Celebs Go Virtual Dating and became the first rugby union player to come out as bisexual.

The devastated household of Levi Davis are dealing with extra irritating delays to find out what has occurred to the X Issue star as pink tape holds up Spanish cops’ seek for the lacking Brit.

Spanish officers mentioned there will probably be no port or sea searches for Levi, 25, within the close to future as a result of a choose investigating his disappearance remains to be ready for a report from coastguards.

It comes after his mom Julie Davis revealed police advised her they now consider a man noticed in difficulties within the sea by crew on a cruise liner docking in Barcelona was prone to be her son who vanished in October.

Ms Davis criticised the delay in her receiving details about the cruise ship sighting and branded Spanish police as ‘sluggish‘. 

At this time she was dealing with extra frustration after it was confirmed there may be nonetheless no information on when and whether or not an exhaustive seek for her lacking son will happen to see if a physique or different proof pointing to his whereabouts might be discovered.

A Spanish choose must authorise the search of the waters and different areas round Barcelona’s port.

In a single day, sources on the Excessive Courtroom of Justice of Catalonia confirmed: ‘The investigating choose is ready for a coastguard report informing on every little thing that is been completed.

‘There is no request by the choose for any kind of search at current. As soon as this report is acquired, the next steps will probably be thought-about.’

One other well-placed supply, explaining the investigating choose’s position within the case, added: ‘When circumstances have been judicialised as this one has, the choose decides on issues as and after they’re requested.

‘As soon as the choose receives the report and sees what work the native coastguards have completed, he’ll be capable to determine whether or not he can approve new procedures or not.’

The revelation means the continued probe into Levi’s disappearance will nearly definitely have moved no additional forwards by the weekend when he can have been lacking for six months.

CCTV footage confirmed him leaving the Outdated Irish Pub close to Barcelona’s La Rambla at round 10pm on October 29 after taking a ship from Ibiza with simply 40 euros (£35) and no change of garments. 

Detectives have advised Levi’s household they’ve now found his cellphone sign was final picked up within the early hours of October 30 by a phone mast on the far finish of the port closest to the ocean entrance.

It had beforehand been thought his cell phone, which hasn’t been used since his disappearance, was final pinged near the town’s foremost Sants railway station.

Julie mentioned the regional Mossos d’Esquadra police had additionally advised her they believed her son was prone to be the person 4 members of cruise liner MSC Bellissima, which docked in Barcelona across the similar time, had seen within the sea carrying the identical light-coloured prime as Levi and shouting for assist in English.

A lifebuoy was thrown to him and coastguards in Barcelona mobilised their helicopter referred to as Helimer 203 and a vessel referred to as Salvamar Mintaka.

A ship operated by firefighters was additionally despatched to the scene together with police and Purple Cross vessels.

The search operation is alleged to have lasted a complete day however was referred to as off after it was confirmed no-one was lacking from the cruise liner and police confirmed no-one had been reported lacking in port waters or within the sea off Barcelona.

Levi’s disappearance had not been reported to police on the time and his passport was not discovered close to a cargo cargo on the port till days later.

Catalan police launched a search off their very own backs on November 8 earlier than receiving an official lacking individuals’ report from an Ibiza-based buddy of Levi’s on November 12.

Police investigators admitted they have been treating his disappearance as ‘disturbing’ in February as they confirmed the case had been positioned within the arms of a specialist crime unit which is working with the investigating choose.

A spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra confirmed on the time there had been a big change in the best way the probe was being carried out as he provided a extra detailed perception into why the shift had taken place.

He mentioned: ‘This case was initially investigated by a gaggle of officers on the police station the disappearance was first reported to in Barcelona.

‘That is the overall process in circumstances the place there aren’t any apparent or very evident indicators a disappearance is linked to a criminal offense.

‘Now this case is being led by a specialist investigative unit based mostly in Barcelona.

‘With the knowledge at our disposal, it would not seem that this particular person has gone lacking voluntarily and would not wish to be discovered.

‘We’re coping with an grownup male whose disappearance would not have a logical clarification and which we’re due to this fact treating as disturbing.

‘It would not essentially imply he is been the sufferer of a criminal offense and it is necessary to make clear that the group that is now investigating this particular person’s disappearance will not be a homicide squad or murder unit as a result of that may imply there’s a chance or certainty he’s useless.

‘What it’s is a unit which has been tasked with this case following the preliminary investigation by officers on the station the place this particular person was reported lacking.

‘It is a larger degree of investigation now and a extra specialist investigation.’

The police revelation adopted claims Levi, whose twenty fifth birthday was final month, was £100,000 in debt to Somali criminals and Levi mentioned he had been blackmailed over a intercourse tape and his life was at risk in a chilling final video he recorded shortly earlier than vanishing.

His mom questioned earlier this week why the details about the cruise ship workers was solely popping out months later.

Voicing her exasperation on the means the search was being carried out in Spain, Ms Davis added: ‘I do not know what to consider anymore.

‘I do know the Spanish police might be sluggish however I am unable to make head nor tail of it.

‘There’s numerous solutions to questions that I have to know.

‘It is disheartening if you ask police questions and get very restricted suggestions.’

Levi performed premiership rugby union for Bathtub between 2017 and 2020, when he joined Ealing Trailfinders. A yr later he signed for Worthing Raiders.

The rugby player-turned-reality star carried out on X Issue: Superstar in 2019 with fellow rugby gamers Ben Foden and Thom Evans as a part of the group Strive Star. In 2020 he appeared on E4 relationship collection Celebs Go Digital Relationship and have become the primary rugby union participant to come back out as bisexual.