What is presumed to be the lifeless body of 19-year-old Jay Slater, who has been missing since June 17, was found on Monday (July 15). Rescue workers searching for the missing British teenager in Tenerife, Spain, have been trying to identify him, Spanish police told Sky News on Monday.
In a statement, Spain’s national police force, the Guardia Civil, said rescuers had found remains.
Highlights
- The body of 19-year-old Jay Slater, missing since June 17, was found on July 15 in Tenerife, Spain.
- Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire, UK, vanished after attending the NRG music festival in mid-June.
- Spanish police believe Jay may have died from an accidental fall in the rugged and remote area of Masca.
As per The Guardian, the statement read: “Civil Guard agents belonging to Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group located in this morning the lifeless body of a young man in the Masca area, belonging to the municipality of Buenavista del Norte.”
It went on to suggest that the person “could have died due to [an] accidental fall on the cliff and [the] inaccessible area where [the body] had been found.”
What is presumed to be the lifeless body of 19-year-old Jay Slater, who has been missing since June 17, was found on Monday (July 15)
Image credits: Sky News
Spanish police said that for 29 days, they reportedly had run a “constant search carried out by different units of the Guardia Civil, in which they have not stopped to look for the young man every day in the area of Masca.”
Parts of the countryside were "preserved" so they were "not filled with curious onlookers," Sky News reported.
Officers further explained: "All indications indicate that it could be the young British man who has been missing since June 17 - in the absence of full identification.
"The first investigations reveal he could have suffered an accident fall in the inaccessible area where he was found.
"We are awaiting the results of the autopsy."
Image credits: Debbie Duncan
Canarias Radio reported the Civil Guard had found a body in the village of Masca. The station posted on X (formerly known as Twitter): "All indications point to it being Jay Slater, the young British man who disappeared on 17 June in Tenerife.
"The first investigations point to an accident or fall in the area."
Jay, who was an apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire, UK, went missing last month after attending the NRG music festival on the Canary’s largest islands in the tourist hotspot of Playa de Las Americas.
He flew out to Tenerife with friends on 13 June to attend the music festival held at the Papagayo nightclub three days later.
Rescue workers searching for the missing British teenager in Tenerife, Spain, have been trying to identify him, Spanish police said
Image credits: Sky News
According to Sky News, the teenager was last heard from after setting off to walk from a northern area of the island back to his holiday accommodation in the south -- a journey of about 11 hours.
At 8:30 am on 17 June, Jay had reportedly 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 was last seen walking alone in the Rural de Teno National Park, a rugged and remote area on the opposite side of the island to the holiday resort where he had been staying with friends.
LBT Global announced on Monday that it was “saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater.”
Image credits: Europa Press Canarias
The charity’s official statement read: “It is understood the body was found close to the site of his 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 inquiries will follow.”
On Sunday (July 14), Jay’s mother, Debbie Duncan, issued a statement through the British overseas missing persons charity, LBT Global, saying the family "cannot put into words" the heartache they have been through,
She said her son was "loved by everyone and has a close bond with his family and many, many friends."
Debbie described her boy as a "loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend to so many."
In a statement, Spain’s national police force, the Guardia Civil, said rescuers had found remains
Image credits: Debbie Duncan
She also said that certain comments online were "very distressing for [them] to read," adding: "We are aware of the awful comments and conspiracy theories that are filling social media.
"These theories are hindering the people trying to help us in their investigations here in Tenerife and are vile to see as a family."
Since he went missing, several groups on social media discussing Jay’s disappearance were unveiled, such as the “Jay Slater Discussions And Theories” Facebook group, which amassed nearly 283,000 members.
On Monday, a statement released by the curator of the “Jay Slater missing updates” Facebook group read: "It is with profound sadness that we inform you that Spanish authorities have located a body in the Masca region, which they believe to be that of Jay Slater, who has been missing."
Jay, who was an apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire, UK, went missing last month after attending the NRG music festival
Image credits: James Manning/PA Images
“We understand that this news is deeply distressing, and our hearts go out to Jay’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
“Please know that our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them as they navigate through this tragic loss.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences and stand with them in their grief.”
Other questionable Facebook groups invited members of the public to share their theories about Jay’s fate, such as a man who shared the following on Thursday (July 11) via the “Jay Slater - The truth” community: “Am in Tenerife for holiday and visited a few cemeteries including the one at Sad Hill.
“I noticed some freshly dug graves marked ‘unknown’ and think these definitely need to be checked.”
"So sad to loose [sic] such a young person," a reader commented
