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A body has been found in the Mediterranean Sea during the search for missing University of Alabama student James Gracey, 20, who disappeared after visiting Shoko nightclub in Barcelona

A body has been discovered during the search for a missing student, it has been confirmed.

James Gracey, 20, was last spotted at Shoko, a beachfront nightclub in Villa Olimpica in Barcelona, according to his parents, Taras and Therese Gracey. The University of Alabama student was dressed in a white shirt, dark trousers, and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross.

A body was retrieved 13 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, according to the local Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. This follows police discovering a disturbing clue shortly before the body was found.

It remains unclear whether this is James at this point. A police statement reads, when translated: "Good afternoon, we inform you that officers from the Mossos have located the lifeless body of a person in the water in the Somorrostro area. Procedures have been initiated to identify the body."

According to the Daily Mail, James's body was formally identified, and his family was informed. A police source told the outlet that it's possible he walked towards some rocks following a night of drinking and may have fallen into the sea.

A source at Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force, told the outlet: "A witness who happened to be passing saw him leave the nightclub, saw him heading towards this rocky outcrop." The man's wallet was found earlier on Wednesday along Somorrostro Beach. The beach is a well-known tourist spot near Shoko.

Following a night out at the nightclub, James became separated from his friends. However, what transpired afterwards remains unclear, as investigators are still attempting to reconstruct his movements.

He was reported missing after he didn't return to the Airbnb he had booked with his friends, relatives confirmed. The Gracey family said in a statement: "Jimmy is a kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother. It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends.

"We are working closely with local authorities and are incredibly grateful for the support we have received. We ask that you keep Jimmy in your thoughts as we continue to do everything we can to bring him home safely."

Prior to the body being tragically found, an unsettling discovery was made during the distressing search.