A former police detective has revealed why the area where a body was found in the search for Jay Slater is so dangerous.
The 19-year-old lad went missing on 17 June, after attending New Rave Generation festival in Tenerife. And nearly a month after he was last heard from, search teams found human remains.
It was announced yesterday (15 July) that a body has been discovered in the Masca area of the Spanish island.
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With many volunteers heading out to help Slater’s family in the search over recent weeks, TV detective Mark Williams-Thomas has also been providing updates as he investigates.
It’s important to note here that he has been doing this as a somewhat separate thing to the authorities, drawing on his experience with high-profile missing persons cases.
In the update yesterday, a Civil Guard spokesperson said: “After 29 constant days of searching the lifeless body of a young man has been found in the Masca area.
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“The discovery has been possible thanks to the tireless and discreet search carried out by the Civil Guard over these 29 days.
“Everything is pointing to the body being that of the young British man who disappeared on June 17, pending full identification. Initial inquiries are pointing to him having suffered an accident/fall in the area where he was found.”
And Williams-Thomas has now shared with his followers on X details of the area where the body was found.
He explained he had seen a video of the search team at the location where the find was made and that it’s ‘difficult for people to perhaps understand how dangerous it is’.
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The podcaster added: “A wrong foot placed, or a slip would most likely be fatal - hence why so difficult to search that area.”
He also told The Mirror that the body was found ‘at a pretty inaccessible place’ as he described the terrain as ‘rough and hazardous’.
“It is clear to see just how treacherous and dangerous it is – a slip or loss of footing would prove fatal,” he said.
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Williams-Thomas has also been meeting with Slater’s family while in Tenerife, as he aided them in their desperate search.
He added: "Although the police are very confident it is Jay they will need to have him formally identified. It is unclear yet if the Spanish police will formally undertake a postmortem, however my very strong advice to the family is for this to be done by a pathologist of their choice, Jay's injuries will be vital and allow a pathologist to re-assure them no 3rd party is involved.
"There will then be the costly process of bringing Jay back to the UK."
Jay Slater's disappearance: Timeline of key moments
Sunday 16 June
Jay attends the New Rave Generation music festival with friends at Papagayo nightclub in the tourist resort of Playa de las Americas in the south of the island.
Monday 17 June
In the early hours of Monday, Jay goes to stay in an apartment in the north of the island with people he had met over the course of the night.
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7.30am
Jay posts a picture on Snapchat from the doorway of the property he stayed at overnight, tagged as being in Rural de Teno park.
8.30am
He calls his friend, Lucy Law, telling her he had attempted to walk back to his accommodation after missing his bus – a journey that would take more than ten hours.
He said he had 'cut his leg' on a cactus and had 'no idea where he was'.
He also said his phone was on one percent battery. His last known location is Rural de Teno park.
9.04am
He is reported missing.
Tuesday 18 June
After friends spend the previous day searching to no avail, local police and mountain rescue teams scour Rural de Teno park for Jay.
His family fly out to Tenerife to join the search.
Wednesday 19 June
The search is temporarily moved to the Los Cristianos area in the south of the island due to a potential lead, but this amounts to nothing and the search returns north.
Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan says she fears her son had 'been taken against his will'.
Sunday 23 June
TV detective Mark Williams-Thomas offers his team's expertise in the search for Jay. He writes on X: "If [Jay's family] give me total access and with feet on the ground I will very quickly be able to say if his disappearance is him alone or if it has third party involvement."
Sunday 30 June
The Tenerife Civil Guard announce they are ending the search for Jay after 13 days, but the investigation remains open and they will follow up any new leads. Jay's family vow to continue the search themselves.
Monday 15 July
Police announce that human remains of a 'young man' have been found. Formal identification has not yet taken place.
Topics: Jay Slater, UK News
Jess Battison