Missing University of Alabama student found dead in Barcelona, Spain
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The body of missing University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey was found Thursday in Barcelona, Spain, after a days-long search, authorities confirmed.
Police found the body at Port Olimpic, a marina just steps from the waterfront nightclub where Gracey was last seen.
A spokesman for Mossos d’Esquadra said remains found in Port Olimpic have been identified as belonging to the 20-year-old, who was last seen early Tuesday morning at the waterside Shoko nightclub.
Gracey, of Elmhurst, Illinois, disappeared around 3 a.m. after visiting Shoko’s restaurant and nightclub.
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A missing person poster featuring Jimmy Gracey. The 20-year-old was found dead after disappearing in Spain. (James Breeden for Fox News Digital)
“He was with friends, but they separated at the end of the night,” explained his mother, Thérèse Gracey. Gracey never returned to the Airbnb he rented with friends, his family said.
Divers were seen entering the water with a stretcher around 7:05 p.m. local time, and returned to the dock with a body bag 10 minutes later.
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A diver from the Catalan Mossos d’Esquadra police searches the coastline and marina of Port Olimpic in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday March 19, 2026. (James Breeden for Fox News Digital)
The discovery came after a search involving helicopters, boats, dive teams and motorcycle units, as authorities pursued several lines of inquiry, including the possibility that Gracey drowned.
Divers said visibility in the water was extremely limited, sometimes only about 40 centimeters or about 16 inches.
This split image shows three recent portraits of University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey, who died during a spring break trip to Barcelona, Spain. (Gracey family)
Police had also recovered Gracey’s phone during the arrest of another person, according to a family spokesperson, and were reviewing location data as part of the investigation.
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Jimmy Gracey was found dead in Spain after a search lasting several days. (James Breeden for Fox News Digital)
“Our family is heartbroken as we confirm that Jimmy’s body has been found in Barcelona,” the Gracey family said. “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.”
Authorities have not yet released information on Jimmy Gracey’s cause of death.
Michael Ruiz of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
