University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey missing in Spain after visiting friends studying abroad
A 20-year-old University of Alabama student from the Chicago area, James "Jimmy" Gracey, has disappeared during a spring break trip to visit friends studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, his family said.
Maritime, drone searches underway as investigation into Jimmy Gracey's disappearance continues
Aquatic and drone searches are underway in Barcelona on Thursday for missing University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey, according to media reports.
Sources from local police told the El Periódico newspaper on Thursday that a search was launched at sea Thursday morning with the deployment of aquatic and underwater units. A drone unit also has been deployed, the sources added.
Police also found Gracey's wallet floating in the water near Somorrostro beach, according to WLS.
James "Jimmy" Gracey, of Elmhurst, Illinois, was last seen around 3 a.m. after visiting the waterfront Shoko restaurant and nightclub on March 17, his mother, Therese Gracey, wrote in a Facebook post.
Local police carried out a search in the waters near that area on Wednesday but had "negative results," a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.
Alabama fraternity president tells Jimmy Gracey to 'keep fighting': 'We're not going to give up'
Cavin McLay, the president of the University of Alabama's Theta Chi fraternity, told "Fox & Friends" on Thursday that he has a message for missing student James "Jimmy" Gracey.
"I tell him to keep fighting, that we're not going to give up. We're going to keep looking for him, and we're waiting for him to come to us safe," McLay said.
"Jimmy's a great guy, upstanding character," McLay added. "He serves as a mentor in our chapter to a lot of the younger guys. He is currently our chaplain, so he guides a lot of our brothers on their journey in their faith. we're heartbroken, but we're keeping our heads held high and remaining hopeful."
McLay said he was not with Gracey the night he went missing but was told there was "nothing out of the ordinary, either internally or externally." He said local authorities in Barcelona have been helpful as the search continues.
"They're being very helpful. Local authorities are working with us diligently," he said. "They're sending out their search teams everywhere they can, and they're updating us as often as they possibly can."
McLay also said he's spoken with Gracey's family, who "just want to extend their thanks and their gratefulness for the community that we have and for everyone sharing the story and getting the awareness out there, and for everyone that's on the ground here in Barcelona looking for him."
University of Alabama student James Gracey disappears in Barcelona after visiting friends
A 20-year-old University of Alabama student from the Chicago area is missing from a spring break trip to visit friends studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, according to his family.
James "Jimmy" Gracey, of Elmhurst, Illinois, was last seen around 3 a.m. after visiting the waterfront Shoko restaurant and nightclub on March 17, his mother, Therese Gracey, wrote in a Facebook post.
"He was with friends, but they got separated at the end of the night," she added. "They’re all out looking for him."
He is also believed to have been talking to a brown-haired American female around the time he was last seen.
Police have recovered his phone during the arrest of another individual, said Noreen Heron, a family spokesperson.
A law enforcement source in Barcelona declined to discuss the suspect arrested in possession of Gracey's phone but confirmed to Fox News Digital that investigators are now looking through the phone's recent location history in an attempt to locate Gracey.
He said investigators are looking into people he interacted with. They're going back and forth with witnesses. And they’re looking into cameras from the area where Gracey was the night he disappeared.
Cavin McLay, the president of Alabama's Theta Chi fraternity and a friend of Gracey's who also made the trip to Spain, told Fox News Digital Wednesday that the missing classmate is the chapter's chaplain and philanthropy chairman and is known for mentoring younger brothers and giving back to others.
"We’re keeping our heads up and remaining hopeful that we find him safe," he said.
Fox News' Ashley Papa and Solly Boussidan contributed to this report.
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