Laurence Dollimore
THE passport of missing New York banker Grant Barr has been found near the beach in Estepona, his family have revealed.
It comes after Grant’s father told the Olive Press that he may have travelled to Madrid following his disappearance from the Costa del Sol on January 28.
However his brother James Barr confirmed today that that was likely based on a miscommunication between the family and Spanish authorities, not aided by the ‘language barrier’.
James told the Olive Press: “Grant’s pants, passport and boating licence were found in a jetty by the beach in Estepona.”
He added: “My family and I are overwhelmed by the good people who have sent messages of hope and support, shared their stories with us, and offered assistance in any way possible.
“Finding him will be the result of regular everyday people sharing the story with their friends, families and networks, recognising his face and reaching out to us directly or contacting authorities.
“Seeing so many people reaching out everyday really gives us hope and helps us continue our efforts.”
He confirmed that ‘there has been no passport activity since his arrival in spain’, adding: “And now we have his passport as it was found with some other belongings.”
Grant is described as having brown hair and green eyes and is of a slim build, measuring around 5ft7 in height.
Grant, a banker based in New York, visits the Costa del Sol regularly as he has relatives there.
According to his LinkedIn page, Grant currently works for Alternative Funds Lending, and previously worked at major corporations, including Citi.
His father previously said that his son had planned to go sailing but changed his mind.
He continued: “We spoke a few times, he was going through a difficult time emotionally… he then spoke to his brother and that was it…”
The US Embassy told the Olive Press it could not comment on the case due to privacy rules.
According to missing persons charity SOS Desaparecidos, Grant was last seen wearing blue jeans, white shirt and an orange jacket.
Anyone with information is urged to the organisation on +34 649 952 957 or +34 644 712 806.
Any information can also be provided to the Policia Nacional by dialing on 091, or to the emergency services hotline 112.
