Spanish authorities say what happened to an American college student in Barcelona appears to have been a tragic mishap. James "Jimmy" Gracey, a 20-year-old University of Alabama student from Elmhurst, Illinois, was found dead in the sea Thursday near Barcelona's beachfront nightlife district, two days after he vanished following a night out at Shoko, a popular club, the New York Times reports. Catalonia's regional police said Friday that all evidence so far "points to an accidental death," though the investigation is ongoing.
Gracey had been visiting friends studying abroad and was last heard from around 3am, when he became separated from his group and failed to return to his short-term rental, his mother said. Police recovered his phone and wallet and are reviewing his messages and security footage to trace his final movements. Police sources tell El Pais that an autopsy determined there were no signs of foul play and Gracey died by drowning. The sources say security camera footage shows Gracey walking toward a dock area and falling into the water.
Gracey, the eldest of five and an avid hockey player, was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity and had recently been elected its chaplain, according to his LinkedIn page. His family, who said they are "heartbroken" and struggling with the loss, noted he had a flight home booked for Saturday. "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," the family said in a statement.
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