Missing Teen Jay Slater Has Been Found Dead – Cause of Death Revealed

In a heartbreaking turn of events, the search for missing UK teenager Jay Slater has come to a tragic conclusion. Human remains believed to be those of the 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, have been discovered on the island of Tenerife, Spain. This is close to where he was last seen nearly a month ago.

The Spanish Civil Guard indicated the evidence strongly suggests the remains are Jay’s. This discovery comes 29 days after the teenager vanished following a night out. His disappearance sparked an extensive search operation in the island’s northwest region.

On finding the remains, authorities in Tenerife have completed their forensic investigation. They confirm through fingerprint tests that the body is indeed Jay Slater’s. The tests revealed that his cause of death was multiple traumas from a fall in a rocky area.

This confirmation follows the earlier discovery by the missing persons charity LBT Global. They had reported that Jay’s body was found near clothing and personal items that belonged to him.

The charity has supported Jay’s family throughout this ordeal and issued a statement urging the public to respect the family’s need for privacy during this profoundly distressing time.

Since discovering Jay’s remains, a friend who was vacationing with him at the time of his disappearance has paid a deeply emotional tribute.

In a heartfelt message, Brad Hargreaves expressed his sorrow. He said “no words” could describe the loss and that “nothing will be the same” without Jay. He added that Jay should “rest easy” and that he would “always love” him.

Jay’s remains were discovered around 10 a.m. on July 15. This was when members of the Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group located the body near the last known signal from Jay’s phone. The area was so steep and rugged that it was inaccessible by foot.

The Guardia Civil confirmed this in a statement. They noted that after 29 days of searching, the lifeless body of Jay had been found in the Masca area. They said that the discovery, given the complexity of the terrain, was made possible thanks to a tireless and discreet search, preserving the natural environment.

Still, they emphasized the challenging nature of the operation. They explained that the body was found in an extremely inaccessible location. At the time of their statement, the autopsy results were pending to confirm whether it was an accident.

Despite the official suspension of the large-scale search, the determination to find Jay never wavered. The Guardia Civil stated they had never stopped looking for him. They added that the mountain rescue team continued their efforts whenever they were on duty.

The team also acknowledged that the difficult terrain made the search incredibly complicated. Still, they affirmed their commitment to persevering. Thanks to them, his family can finally start their healing process.

Jay’s family has received support from British Embassy officials as they grappled with the devastating news of his discovery. The shocking revelation came hours after his family marked four agonizing weeks since his disappearance.

His mother, Debbie Duncan, had earlier expressed their profound grief. She stated, “We cannot put into words the heartache we are suffering as a family. We are just a normal family desperate to find our beautiful boy.”

A family source revealed that Debbie had been dreading this news and now has many questions. Following the tragic find, she wants to know how the police search teams missed her son’s body.

According to the source, the hardest part for her is knowing Jay was found so close to the original search site. The source also claimed that searchers might have walked past his body while looking for him.

The Guardia Civil indicated that initial evidence suggested Jay might have suffered an accident or fall in the inaccessible zone where he was found.

Despite suspending the full search on June 29, Jay’s family never stopped looking for him. They were determined and hopeful, even while facing such a heartbreaking outcome. As Jay’s loved ones grapple with this devastating news, the hope for his safe return has been replaced with mourning.

Before going missing, the teen had embarked on an exciting trip to a Tenerife music festival, only to vanish into the mountains. We previously reported that authorities had been searching for Jay for over a week.

At the time, the family of Jay was desperately seeking answers after he went missing in the mountainous regions of Tenerife, Spain. Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire, disappeared on the morning of June 17, 2024, after attending a high-energy music festival.

The youngster’s sudden disappearance left his family and friends in distress. This spurred an extensive search effort involving local authorities and volunteers. Jay was last seen walking into the mountains north of Masca village, after staying at a remote Airbnb with two men he met at the NRG music event.

His father, Warren Slater, 58, and brother, Zak, 24, have flown to Tenerife to assist in the search. Warren expressed his confusion and heartbreak on the seventh day of the search. He stated that Jay’s disappearance “doesn’t make sense.”

“It started out as a lad who had gone walking and got lost, or that he may have fallen. But it doesn’t make sense. Nobody would walk off that road. Why would he have gone uphill? It’s dangerous; it’s a massive mountain. It’s not just a hill,” Warren said, emphasizing the unlikely nature of Jay’s chosen path.

His family has been putting up missing posters in Santiago del Teide. They remain bewildered by the mysterious circumstances surrounding Jay’s disappearance.

The search has been intensive, with mountain rescue teams, local police, the Civil Guard, and fire crews combing through the Teno Rural Park. Despite their efforts, Jay’s whereabouts remain unknown.

However, a possible sighting reported by Jay’s mother, Debbie Duncan, described someone resembling Jay near a church in Santiago del Teide. This location is approximately 7 kilometers from Masca.

This sighting, however, is yet to be confirmed by authorities. The family and friends have been distributing flyers and sharing a still image of Jay.

Rachel Hargreaves, a family friend, stated that the police were investigating every lead, no matter how small. “We have to take each lead and act on it. Having been up there ourselves, and after all the searching, we get the impression that he can’t be there. We are six days in, but doing all we can to bring him home,” she said.

Jay’s dad, in an emotional interview, conveyed the torment his family is experiencing. “The last few days have been a nightmare, just a nightmare,” he said, fighting back tears. He hopes that someone has helped Jay off the mountain. “I just want my boy back,” he pleaded.

Warren and Zak visited the location where Jay’s phone last pinged. It was in a remote gorge above Masca village. They were joined by other family members and friends, who spent hours with search teams. They tried to understand the search process and hoped for any sign of Jay.

The teenager’s last known contact was with his friend Lucy Law. He had told Lucy he needed water and that his phone battery was at one percent. Search teams were focused on a 30-kilometer area, including the Masca Gorge, La Vica, and Las Portelas.

Helicopters, drones, and search dogs were used alongside foot patrols to scour the rugged terrain. Despite these extensive efforts, the case remained baffling.

Firefighter Riccardo, part of the search team, described the situation as “increasingly strange.” He said, “It’s very difficult to find people here, because of the ravines and the mountains. The days are passing by… but he still hasn’t appeared.”

The last person to speak to Jay was a local resident, Ofelia Medina Hernandez. She informed him about a bus scheduled for 10 a.m. She added that he set off, and she later drove past him “walking fast.”

Former Head of Lambeth Missing Persons Unit, Mike Neville, shared his concerns about Jay’s condition. He explained that the area is hot during the day and cold at night, posing significant risks, especially since Jay was in only a shirt and shorts. “We can only hope that he is just very, very dehydrated somewhere,” Mike said.

Mike highlighted the complexity of the terrain. He noted that while aerial searches are ongoing, the dense woodland and ravines make it difficult to spot someone from above. He stressed the importance of ground searches by police officers, volunteers, and park rangers, alongside search dogs.

“The Spanish police have published quite detailed analysis of where they’re going to search, focusing on three ravines,” Mike noted.

“This area of Tenerife is quite wooded. There are so many places that somebody could have laid down to rest or take shelter, and it’s not so visible from the air,” Mike added:

“So, whilst the Spanish police are making use of helicopters and drones, they’re really reliant on humans – either police officers, volunteers, or park rangers – and dogs to try and locate Jay Slater.”

The local community and friends from Britain have rallied around the Slater family. They have been assisting in distributing posters and sharing information on social media, urging anyone with information to contact the authorities.

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