The search for a US student missing in Barcelona has pivoted to the sea since Tuesday morning after police discovered his wallet floating off the city’s coastline on Wednesday.
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James “Jimmy” Paul Gracey, a 20-year-old student from Illinois, was last seen in the early hours of Tuesday. He left the Shoko nightclub in the Vila Olímpica area and walked towards the nearby beach. Subsequently, the discovery of his personal effects in the water has prompted a major search operation on the waters off Somorrostro Beach.
The Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force, have deployed specialist units to scour the area. Divers from the force’s underwater unit have cordoned off a specific zone and are conducting systematic searches, while maritime police vessels patrol the surface. Furthermore, an official police helicopter is providing aerial support to the operation.
The search initially launched on Wednesday, but authorities suspended it overnight. Efforts resumed on Thursday morning; however, authorities noted that unfavourable sea conditions complicated the search.
The Disappearance
Mr Gracey, a University of Alabama student, was visiting Barcelona on a spring break trip. According to police sources cited by 20minutos, he was with a friend at the popular Shoko nightclub on the seafront. However, he decided to stay on after his friend left for their shared Airbnb. He never returned.
A person close to the student filed a missing person report at a police station in the Horta-Guinardó district on Wednesday. Currently, the criminal investigation unit of the city’s central Eixample district leads the investigation.
Investigators are working to piece together Mr Gracey’s movements after he left the club around 3:00 AM on Tuesday. Police have reviewed security camera footage from the venue, which reportedly shows he “did not leave alone.” However, authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of his companion or companions. Officers have also searched his accommodation for clues and interviewed the friend he was with earlier in the evening.
Family Appeals for Information
Mr Gracey’s family, from Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago, have launched urgent appeals on social media for any information regarding his whereabouts. His father has travelled to Barcelona to liaise directly with the Mossos d’Esquadra and assist with the search efforts.
In a public appeal, the family provided a description of their son. He is over 1.85 metres tall (approximately 6’1″) with a strong build, weighing around 79 kilograms (174 lbs). He was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark trousers, and a distinctive gold pendant with a cross.
The family has reportedly stated that police are in possession of their son’s mobile phone; however, the Mossos d’Esquadra have neither confirmed nor denied this. A police spokesperson confirmed to local media that they are working “very intensely” on the case, and all lines of inquiry remain open as the land and sea search continues.
