A diving instructor wanted in connection with the death of a British holidaymaker in Albania has been jailed for 15 years in Norway following a drugs trial – leaving her heartbroken father shocked as he had no idea.
Saimir Kushova, 48, had been wanted by authorities in Albania following the tragic death of Rebecca Gannon, 29, who drowned while on an organised diving trip with him.
Since her death in September 2022, her devastated father George Gannon, has been pushing authorities in Albania for justice spending months on end in the country.
But he was left stunned when he heard prime suspect Kushova had been convicted of drugs trafficking and sentenced to 15 years.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Gannon, 63, from Stone, Staffordshire, said: ‘I have spent almost three years in Albania chasing the authorities for justice.
‘It’s been hard and lonely. I’ve spent time away from family but all I wanted is for this man to face me in court and now he’s been jailed in Norway.
‘This man is responsible for the death of my daughter, and he should be in court, I just wanted the Albanian authorities to take what happened to me daughter seriously.
‘We only found out a few weeks ago, we knew he’s gone on the run a short while after Rebecca died but it appears he ended up in Norway and got involved in some drug smuggling operation.
George Gannon with daughter Rebecca Gannon who died in a diving accident in Albania
Rebecca Gannon was diving on a sunken wreck off the seaside town of Sarande in southern Albania
Saimir Kushova, 48, had been wanted by authorities in Albania following the tragic death of Rebecca Gannon
‘We’ve since found out he was arrested in Norway about six months after fleeing Albania, but we had no idea he had been charged, convicted and jailed for drug smuggling.
‘It feels as if he is escaping justice for his role in Rebecca’s death, but I will never give up fighting for her.’
Rebecca was on holiday with her boyfriend Robert Kerans when tragedy struck as they dived on a sunken wreck off the seaside town of Sarande in southern Albania.
The couple had PADI diving certificates and had chosen to go on Kushova’s organised trip with a firm he owned called the Spiranca Diving Centre.
But within minutes of getting onboard both Rececca and Robert were questioning the poor state of the equipment with sub-standard life jackets and half empty oxygen tanks.
Rebecca – who was used to diving to 30 metres – got into difficulty despite the water being just seven metres deep and she drowned.
According to Mr Gannon before she died, she had resurfaced ‘in a panic and pleading for help’ but then slipped under the waves.
The family, George and wife Gill, were back home were watching the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth when police knocked on their door to say Rebecca had died.
Mr Gannon said: ‘All I wanted is for this man to face me in court and now he’s been jailed in Norway’
Rebecca – who was used to diving to 30 metres – got into difficulty despite the water being just seven metres deep and she drowned
Mr Gannon explained that it had taken more than two years to eventually charge Kushova with ‘violation of the rules of protection at work’.
Grief stricken Mr Gannon said authorities in Albania had ‘dragged their heels’ in the investigation and taking far too long to charge him.
But worse was to come for the heartbroken dad as Kushova was eventually arrested and held in Albania only to escape from custody twice, eventually ending up in Norway.
It was in Scandinavia that the professional diver was arrested for his part in a massive cocaine smuggling plot involving 150kg of cocaine.
Kushova was part of a six strong Albanian gang involved in smuggling what was the largest ever single seizure of cocaine in western Norway.
He dived down onto the wreck of a ship off the coast and retrieved several black bags containing he drug and brought them to the surface.
Kushova told the Hordaland District court he ‘had no idea’ what was in the bags and said he had been asked to help because he was an ‘expert diver’.
Police and customs official caught the gang ‘red handed’ in April 2023 less than a year after Rebecca’s death.
Kushova was part of a six strong Albanian gang involved in smuggling what was the largest ever single seizure of cocaine in western Norway
Rebecca was on holiday with her boyfriend Robert Kerans and had chosen to go on Kushova’s organised trip with a firm he owned called the Spiranca Diving Centre
Mr Gannon, who is still in Albania, added:’ After he skipped the country, the police said they had put out an alert for him through Interpol, but we didn’t hear anything back for ages.
‘We only found out he had been arrested and given 15 years in Norway for drugs smuggling a few months ago.
‘The last few years have cost me financially more than £53,000 and it’s cost me time with my family, we’ve spent our savings and had to close our bakery business.
‘We’ve had no real support from the Albanian authorities or the British Embassy in Tirana.
‘I know he’s in jail in Norway and probably won’t be leaving any time soon, but I won’t rest until his in court and convicted for his part in the death of my daughter.
‘I could be almost 80 by the time he’s released but I just want to see him in court and be jailed for his part in Rebecca’s death.
‘I want him to face justice for what he did, it’s cost me everything, I’ve even thought about going to Norway and committing a crime so I can see him in jail.’
Sadly, Mr Gannon also described how it had cost him his marriage adding: ‘Gill and I were together 36 years but because of what happened and because I’m always here things aren’t going to well between us.
‘It’s affected her mentally and me. I haven’t been able to cry properly yet and I won’t until I see justice. We aren’t divorced but it’s been mentioned, and it’s because all I want is closure, I’m just fighting to get closure for what happened to Rebecca.’