Urgent: Search efforts for missing 20-year-old Jimmy Gracey have dramatically expanded to the waters off Barcelona. Authorities from the Catalan police force Mossos d’Esquadra have now deployed specialized aquatic and underwater search teams, sending boats and divers to comb the coastal area where Gracey was last seen. The decision comes after investigators confirmed that the nightclub district sits directly along the beachfront, forcing them to examine the possibility that he may have entered the water in the early hours of that night.

Divers and search boats were spotted scanning the waters near the popular nightclub Shôko, where Gracey had been spending the evening with friends before he vanished. Adding to the mystery, his wallet was reportedly found on the beach with nothing missing, while his phone is currently being analyzed by investigators for potential clues. As authorities piece together the final moments of that night, one chilling question remains: did the truth disappear into the sea—or is there an even darker story waiting to surface? 👀

Body found in Barcelona identified as missing college student James Gracey

Authorities say they have found the body of college student from Illinois who was vacationing in Spain.

The body of 20-year-old James “Jimmy” Gracey was found Thursday evening in the water off a Barcelona beach, the press office for Catalonia’s regional police in Barcelona told The Associated Press. A team of police divers found the body.

His body was found near where he was last seen outside a nightclub with his friends early Tuesday.

He never returned to the room he was renting with friends. Police recovered his phone soon after he went missing. Gracey was a student at the University of Alabama, and was visiting friends in Barcelona for a spring break trip.

Catalan police say that their investigation continues into the cause of death.

Gracey, a college student at the University of Alabama, was last seen outside the Shoko nightclub in Barcelona but separated from friends around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, his family said.

Gracey never returned to the room he was renting with friends, according to family members who live in the suburb of Elmhurst, about 19 miles (31 kilometers) west of Chicago. His family realized something was wrong when police contacted them saying they had recovered his phone.

Barcelona is a popular tourist destination that brings in millions of foreign visitors each year. It is generally safe, especially compared with major U.S. cities, where tourists’ biggest worry are normally pickpockets.

Barcelona’s beaches, located in walking distance of its center, are a main draw especially for young visitors. The area where Gracey went out is a stretch of beach with several restaurants and nightclubs that are frequented by locals and foreigners.

“We are keeping Jimmy and his family at the forefront of our thoughts, and our staff are in direct communication with the family to offer every support and assistance possible,” the University of Alabama said in a statement on Thursday.

Gracey was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity at the school, and the international organization said he held two positions within the school’s chapter.

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O’Connor reported from Springfield, Illinois, and Raza reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press writers Suman Naishadham in Madrid and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report.