The body of an American student who went missing in Barcelona has been found, police in Spain say

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The assemblage of James “Jimmy” Gracey, a assemblage pupil from Illinois who went missing portion successful Spain connected outpouring break, was recovered Thursday successful the h2o disconnected a Barcelona beach, constabulary said.

Gracey's assemblage was recovered by constabulary divers and positively identified, the property bureau for Catalonia’s determination constabulary successful Barcelona told The Associated Press. The University of Alabama student's assemblage was recovered adjacent wherever helium was past seen extracurricular a nightclub with his friends aboriginal Tuesday. He was visiting friends successful Barcelona for outpouring break.

Catalan constabulary accidental that their probe continues into the origin of death.

Gracey, 20, was past seen extracurricular the Shoko nightclub successful Barcelona but separated from friends astir 3 a.m. connected Tuesday. Gracey ne'er returned to the country helium was renting with friends, according to household members who unrecorded successful the suburb of Elmhurst, astir 19 miles (31 kilometers) westbound of Chicago. They realized thing was incorrect erstwhile constabulary contacted them, saying they had recovered his phone.

The Gracey household asked for prayers and privacy.

“We are truthful grateful for the kindness and interest that has been shown for our household during this incredibly hard time. We person made the determination to intermission media interviews astatine this clip to absorption connected being unneurotic and caring for 1 another. Thank you for respecting our privateness and holding our household successful your thoughts and prayers," a connection from the household said.

In an interrogation conducted earlier constabulary confirmation of his death, Gracey's aunt told The Associated Press that helium was "just a large kid, a bully Catholic lad from the Midwest.”

“Very bully student, honors programme astatine University of Alabama, chaplain successful his fraternity, you know, conscionable an astonishing older member and relation exemplary to his cousins,” Beth Marren O'Reilly said.

O'Reilly said her nephew near Alabama connected Thursday and spent the play successful Amsterdam earlier arriving Monday successful Barcelona, wherever helium intended to walk the week with classmates.

Gracey's household did not instantly cognize however constabulary came into possession of his phone. Gracey's father, Taras, is successful Barcelona and has been moving with police, O'Reilly said.

Barcelona is simply a fashionable tourer destination that brings successful millions of overseas visitors each year. It is mostly safe, particularly compared with large U.S. cities, wherever tourists’ biggest interest are usually pickpockets.

Barcelona’s beaches, located successful walking region of its center, are a main gully particularly for young visitors. The country wherever Gracey went retired is simply a agelong of formation with respective restaurants and nightclubs that are frequented by locals and foreigners.

The University of Alabama said successful a connection that the schoolhouse assemblage “is heartbroken to larn of the decease of Jimmy Gracey. Jimmy’s nonaccomplishment is profoundly felt crossed our campus. Our condolences are with the Gracey household during this devastating time.”

Gracey was a subordinate of the Theta Chi fraternity astatine the school, and the planetary enactment said that successful summation to serving arsenic chaplain for the school's chapter, helium was a philanthropy chairperson.

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O’Connor reported from Springfield, Illinois, and Raza reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press videojournalist Laura Bargfeld successful Chicago and writer Suman Naishadham successful Madrid contributed.

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