Spanish police have informed authorities that a body has been discovered in the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater in Tenerife. According to the officers, there is strong evidence to suggest that the remains belong to the 19-year-old. LBT Global, a British overseas missing persons charity that has been assisting the Slater family, has also confirmed that the body appears to be that of Jay Slater.
In a statement, LBT Global said: “It is understood the body was found close to the site of [Jay Slater’s] mobile phone’s last location. Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the body was found with Mr Slater’s possessions and clothes. A post mortem and forensic enquiries will follow.”
Police have stated that the Civil Guard’s mountain rescue group located the “lifeless body of a young man in the Masca area after 29 days of constant search.” They also mentioned the complexity of the case and how the discovery was made possible thanks to the Civil Guard’s relentless and discreet search efforts.
According to Sky News reporter Jay Marques, parts of the countryside were “preserved” to prevent interference from curious onlookers. Police have revealed that all indications point to the body being that of the missing British teenager, but full identification is still pending. The initial investigation suggests that Mr Slater may have suffered an accidental fall in the inaccessible area where he was found. The results of the autopsy are still awaited.
Graham Wettone, a police commentator, has highlighted the challenging terrain of the area where Jay Slater went missing, making the search more difficult. “Clearly the terrain is exceptionally difficult to navigate, but especially to search thoroughly and properly with the resources, the equipment, and tactics they were using,” he said.
Jay Slater was last heard from on 17 June when he called his friend Lucy Law, telling her he had missed a bus, his phone battery was on 1%, and he had cut his leg on a cactus. He had flown to Tenerife with friends on 13 June to attend a music festival at Papagayo nightclub in the southern resort of Playa de las Americas three days later.
His mother, Debbie Duncan, expressed her family’s heartache and the pain they have been through in a statement on Sunday. She described her son as a “loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend to so many”. Ms Duncan also addressed the hurtful comments and conspiracy theories circulating on social media, stating that they are hindering the investigation and causing distress for the family.
The police and the family have appealed for privacy and respect during this difficult time. The investigation and formal identification process are ongoing, and updates will be provided as they become available.
