A frantic search along Barcelona’s coastline has now ended in tragedy, with authorities saying there is no indication of foul play in the death of James Gracey.
According to the New York Post, officials in Barcelona said the 20-year-old’s death appears to have been accidental after his body was recovered from the water near Port Olímpic.
“Everything points to it being an accidental death,” Mossos d’Esquadra police said.
Gracey, a native of Elmhurst, Illinois, had been visiting the Spanish city when he disappeared earlier in the week. He was last seen leaving Shôko nightclub around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Authorities said maritime police later found his “lifeless body” in roughly 13 feet of water near the same area on Thursday.
“The relevant arrangements have been made with the victim’s relatives, who are in Barcelona,” police said in a statement.
The search effort had intensified after Gracey became separated from friends inside the nightclub and failed to return to their Airbnb, located about two miles away on Ronda de Sant Pere.
His father had traveled overseas to help in the search.
A witness later reported seeing Gracey walking toward a rocky stretch of coastline near the beach shortly before he vanished.
“From there, he may have fallen into the sea and drowned,” the witness said.
Investigators had initially not ruled out foul play, but key discoveries shifted the focus. Gracey’s wallet was recovered floating in the water off Somorrostro beach on Wednesday.
The following day, a worker at Port Olímpic alerted authorities, leading to the recovery of the body. Divers entered the water with a stretcher and returned with a body bag, while a blue screen was set up to block public view.
An autopsy is expected, though officials say final results could take weeks.
Gracey’s family released a statement mourning the loss.
“Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss,” they said.
A junior at the University of Alabama, Gracey was also involved in the Theta Chi fraternity, where he served as chaplain.
Fraternity leaders and friends remembered him as someone deeply committed to others.
“There are no words to describe the pain of losing our beloved brother, Jimmy,” said Cavin McLay.
“He was always asking how your day was going and thinking about the people around him. His smile and attitude were infectious and such a light in our chapter.”
McLay added, “I can say without hesitation that I am a better person for having known him.”
