Search resumes for missing footballer

David Gavin (26) went missing while swimming in Canada last June

Edwin McGreal

The search for missing Breaffy footballer David Gavin is set to resume in Canada this week.
David Gavin (26) is missing since June 30 last after he got into difficulty after jumping from a bridge at Kinbasket Lake in British Columbia.
David’s parents Michael and Angela, his partner Ciara O’Malley and Ciara’s parents flew out to Canada yesterday (Monday).
Travelling with them was experienced diver David McGloin from Donegal, who is expected to lead a team to co-ordinate the search.
Mr McGloin will study the lake and surrounding area where David Gavin went missing. The Donegal Daily website reports that if Mr McGloin considers the conditions suitable, he will be followed over by members of the Sheephaven Sub-Aqua group from Donegal.
A window of opportunity for the search is expected to appear in the coming month. The level of the water at Kinbasket Lake reservoir should be at its lowest, at a depth of some ten feet, at the start of May. The water level is expected to rise again coming into June as glaciers surrounding Kinbasket Lake melt fully.

Fun turns to tragedy
David, from Springfield, Castlebar, got into difficulty after jumping from a logging bridge over a river estuary that flows into Kinbasket Lake. He and some friends were en route to a football tournament in Calgary, Alberta, when they stopped off to jump into the water for a swim.
Mr Gavin, a strong swimmer, and a lifeguard in his younger years, went first. After resurfacing and signaling that all was okay, he started to swim to the shore. He suddenly got into difficulty seconds later and went under. Frantic efforts to get to him were unsuccessful.
David and Ciara had moved to Vancouver, British Colombia, in February of last year.

Closure
Last September David’s family and his partner, Ciara, returned home from Canada after making the difficult decision to postpone a second search.
In a statement, the family describe that decision as a ‘heartbreaking’ one.
An initial search after David went missing was unsuccessful, but extensive fundraising facilitated the second search in August and September. That also proved unsuccessful, however.
“Unfortunately the search for David did not yield the positive result that the family and friends had hoped for. The search was hampered to a great extent by poor water visibility in the lake, but all possible search options were exhausted over the last few weeks,” said the Gavin family and David’s partner Ciara in a statement issued after the second search.
They expressed thanks to all who helped with the search and flagged May as the likely date for the recommencement of the search.
“The advice from all involved in the search is for the family to return [this] May when the water level in the lake reservoir will be at its lowest level. The river channels will then be exposed, with the water depth reduced to ten feet. This may facilitate identification of David’s precise location, which will then, hopefully, bring some closure for family and friends.”
David played with distinction with Breaffy for many years, along with playing Minor and Under 21 football with Mayo.