A University of Alabama student who was found dead in Barcelona after going missing while vacationing evidently fell into the sea by accident in view of surveillance cameras – and an autopsy revealed injuries on his body that were consistent with having repeatedly struck a breakwater’s rocks.

Such details about James “Jimmy” Gracey surfaced in the Spanish media as a spokesperson for police in Barcelona told the Associated Press that “all signs point” to the 20-year-old’s death as having been inadvertent.

Gracey was last seen outside the Shoko nightclub at about 3am on Tuesday. The native of suburban Chicago raised alarm when he did not return to a short-term rental where he was staying with friends who accompanied him on their spring break to the Catalan region’s capital.

And, in a development that generated international news headlines, his corpse ultimately was recovered Thursday afternoon in 13ft deep waters off a beach near the Shoko club.

A young man smiles.

Body of missing Illinois student found in waters off beach of Barcelona

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Spain’s El País newspaper, citing police sources, reported on Friday that local surveillance cameras captured video of Gracey walking by himself toward a dock and falling into the water “without third-party involvement”.

El Periódico, another outlet, added on Friday that a preliminary autopsy report filed in court in Barcelona “rules out foul play and supports the police hypothesis that [Gracey] accidentally fell into the sea and drowned”. Furthermore, the autopsy report documented “several injuries consistent with hitting the rocks of a breakwater”, according to Barcelona-based El Periódico, which also wrote that toxicology test results were pending.

The outlets’ reports contained details about the two-day search for Gracey. At one point, El País reported, Barcelona police found Gracey’s cellphone in the possession of a thief known to officers. But it was unclear whether Gracey lost the device or if it was stolen from him, and investigators ruled out its having anything to do with the subsequent fall into the sea, according to El País.

Meanwhile, El Periódico reported that police narrowed their search for Gracey after finding his wallet and some clothes. The outlet also reported that Gracey’s parents had traveled to Barcelona, and his body would be released to his family for repatriation and burial after the completion of the toxicology tests.

young man smiling outside
James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey. Photograph: Gracey Family via AP

A statement from Gracey’s family members asked for prayers and privacy as they struggle “to come to terms with this unimaginable loss”.

“Our family is heartbroken,” the statement also said. “Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend.”

Barcelona draws millions of foreign tourists annually. It is considered generally safe, especially compared with major cities in the US, which has significantly higher rates of deadly gun violence than other high-income nations.

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The Mediterranean beaches in Barcelona are within walking distance of its bustling city center and frequently draw young visitors. When he went missing, Gracey had gone out to a stretch of beach lined with restaurants and nightclubs that are popular with both locals and visitors.

Before police confirmed Gracey’s death, his aunt described him in an interview with the AP as “just a great kid, a good Catholic boy” from the US’s midwest.

A statement from the University of Alabama said its community was “heartbroken” upon learning of Gracey’s death.

“Jimmy’s loss is deeply felt across our campus,” the university’s statement said. “Our condolences are with the Gracey family during this devastating time.”