Missing GAA star, David Gavin has been found dead in Canada, police have said.
David Gavin, 26 and originally from Castlebar, Co. Mayo, was presumed to have drowned after an incident shortly after 3 pm on Friday, June 30 2017 in British Columbia.
Mr Gavin's family flew from Ireland to Canada at the time of his disappearance, where the Irishman was living with his girlfriend.
Mr Gavin's Canadian GAA club said that while the police search has been stood down, a private search of the area where he disappeared was also launched.
Mr Gavin was on his way to play for the ISSC Vancouver GAA team in the Western Canadian Championship in Calgary when he stopped at Kinbasket Lake and dived into the water from a bridge.
After he failed to surface, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and a dive team conducted a search with a local search and rescue team on but failed to locate the Mayo native.
The initial search involved two boats and a dog, with search and rescue members continuing to search the creek and Kinbasket Lake and shoreline into Saturday, July 1.
A RCMP spokeswoman said the underwater recovery team had conducted a variety of underwater and surface scans along with air searches, leading many to believe he had drowned.
Mr Gavin had played for his local GAA team Breaffy in Mayo, before moving to Canada with his girlfriend Ciara earlier this year and played with Irish Sporting and Social Club in Vancouver.
His GAA club said Mr Gavin was a "hugely popular figure within the Irish GAA community in Vancouver and within the GAA community at home with his club Breaffy and with his county Mayo."
"David's family have now arrived from Ireland to Kinbasket Lake, and are now waiting in hope that the divers will be able to recover him," they said in a statement.
David Gavin's native GAA club Breaffy GAA in Mayo said they were 'heartbroken.'
"Breaffy GAA are heartbroken to report that our good friend David Gavin is reported missing in Canada following a swimming incident.
"We stand with David's family, girlfriend and his many worried friends and pray that David will be found soon and back in the arms of those who love him so much."
The news was shared today via the ISSC Vancouver Facebook page.
The team said in a statement: "We at the ISSC Vancouver, and on behalf of the extended GAA community in Vancouver, are relieved to announce that the remains of David Gavin were found this afternoon in Kinbasket Lake. Water levels had reduced greatly in recent weeks to allow a search to be resumed.
David’s family and that of his girlfriend Ciara were present at the lake today. They wish to thank everyone for their continued support."
See More: Canada, David Gavin, Death, RIP
