A body has been recovered from the Mediterranean Sea near the area where a 20-year-old University of Alabama student went missing during a spring break trip in Barcelona. The student, James Gracey who is also known as Jimmy disappeared earlier this week after a night out with friends. However, authorities have not confirmed that the body is his.
At the same time, a spokesperson for Barcelona police told CNN that James “Jimmy” Gracey, an American college student missing in Spain, has been found dead. “Everything points to it being an accident, not a criminal act,” the spokesperson said.
Body recovered close to last known location
Officials said the body was found in waters near Port Olimpic marina, not far from the nightclub where Gracey was last seen. According to La Vanguardia, a Spanish dive team recovered the body while searching near the shore.
A police spokesperson told CNN the body was found on Somorrostro beach, in front of the Shoko nightclub, where search efforts had been focused. The area was later sealed off, with multiple law enforcement vehicles at the scene.
Gracey who is from Elmhurst, Illinois had traveled to Barcelona to visit friends. Surveillance footage showed him leaving the beachfront Shoko nightclub around 3am on Tuesday. He never returned to his accommodation which led to a search operation.
According to Fox32 Chicago, “Good afternoon, we inform you that Mossos officers have located the lifeless body of a person in the water in the Somorrostro area. Efforts are underway to identify the body,” police said in a translated statement.
Despite the discovery, authorities have not made any official statement confirming the identity of the body.
James Gracey update: Body recovered in Barcelona; father notified of new discovery
What did police find before the body was discovered?
Before the body was found, investigators had already discovered some worrying details. Gracey’s wallet was found floating in the sea near Somorrostro beach, close to the nightclub. A Catalan police dive team recovered it on Wednesday. Officers had searched the water to check if he had gone into the sea after leaving the club, but a source told CNN the results were “negative” at that time.
His phone was also found during the investigation. Family spokesperson Noreen Heron said police recovered it after detaining another person. However, his aunt Beth O’Reilly told NewsNation that the family still does not know what happened to it. “We don’t know whether it was lost, stolen, whatever,” she said. “Beyond that, we don’t have a lot of additional information right now.”
James Gracey update: Wallet in the Sea, phone in a stranger’s hands- Latest in Alabama student’s missing case
Gracey was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross, according to NBC News. However, for now, authorities have not confirmed the identity of the body and it remains unclear whether it is James Gracey.
