Body found in search for missing Jay Slater after 29 days
Rescue workers who have been searching for missing teen Jay Slater in Tenerife have found human remains, the police have announced.
Remains were found in an area where the teenager went missing, according to Reuters.
The Lancashire teenager, 19, has been missing since going out with friends in Tenerife on 16 June.
After attending the New Rave Generation festival, Jay decided to stay out with a group of people he had just met on Sunday (16 June) evening.
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He then stayed in an Airbnb called Casa Abuela Tina with the two men, including Ayub Qassim, who said Jay left the property on foot in the morning after 'refusing a lift'.
On Monday (17 June) morning, he called his friend Lucy and told her that he was in the middle of a mountainous area having missed a bus back to the resort. At 9.04am he was reported missing.
In an update today (15 July), a spokesperson for the Civil Guard said: “After 29 constant days of searching the lifeless body of a young man has been found in the Masca area.
“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.”
British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global also said: "LBT Global is saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater.
"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 enquiries will follow.
"LBT Global are supporting the family at this distressing time and ask for everyone to afford them space and privacy to come to terms with the news."
Following Jay's disappearance, his mother Debbie Duncan said in a statement released through LBT Global: “As we approach four weeks of our beautiful Jay’s disappearance, we cannot put into words the heartache we are suffering as a family.
“Jay is a typical young man who loves life, with a bright future ahead of him. This month will mark the end of his three-year apprenticeship with the world at his feet.
“He is loved by everyone and has a close bond with his family and many, many friends.
“He is a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend to so many.
“We have been inundated with requests for interviews, documentaries and even as far as a movie. In reality, we are just a normal family from Lancashire desperate to find our beautiful boy.”
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.
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
Anish Vij