A man has said he’ll never stop searching for answers about the events that led to his daughter’s death while diving in Albania.
George Gannon, 61, of Stone, Staffordshire, said in an interview with Sky News he hasn’t ‘even been able to cry yet’ after the loss of 29-year-old Rebecca.
A former bakery owner, he added that over the past 12 months he’s spent his life savings trying to figure out what exactly happened to her, and that ‘I’ll never stop, never, never stop, until I get justice.’
Rebecca had wanted to complete 30 dives by her 30th birthday. It was on her 29th dive, with Spiranca Diving Centre last September, that she got into difficulties.
George suspects that whatever happened, it took too long for Rebecca to be rescued.
He believes her death could have been prevented, not least given the water where she is thought to have died was only seven metres deep.
George remembers being ‘stunned’ when he learned the news last year, and says he’s received no help from either the Albanian or the British governments.
He said: ‘I’ve just been out there on my own fighting for my daughter with no help whatsoever and when I’ve tried to contact people they just won’t speak.
‘It’s like the whole situation has been swept under the carpet and it never happened.’
Muhamed Veliu, an Albanian journalist with Top Channel TV, claims an arrest has been made in connection with Rebecca’s death.
He said: ‘The prosecutors charged the owner of this company [Spiranca Diving Centre], which provides scuba diving in Saranda, with breaching health and safety regulation of work.
‘This is the only charge and basically he did put a surety of about £13,000 and he was released on bail.’
Mr Veliu went on to say that in Albania, investigations can take up to two years before prosecutors decide whether to take a case to court.
He added: ‘I do share the same concern with the family of Rebecca Gannon, not being informed about the speed and the stage of this investigation.
‘It is really a big shame for the Albanian justice system. Prosecutors […] unfortunately underestimate the importance [of] tell[ing] the family about the progress of the investigation
‘It is not like in the UK when a crime happened and police appoint a liaison officer to the family of the victim.’
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: ‘We are assisting the family of a British national who died in Albania and are in contact with the local authorities.’
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