Rescue workers searching for missing Jay Slater find human remains

Rescue workers searching for missing British teenager Jay Slater in Tenerife have found human remains, according to Spanish police.

Jay Slater has been missing since June 17. Credit: Instagram

This comes after Spanish police said at the end of June that the search for Jay had been called off, nearly two weeks after he went missing.

The apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last seen by a cafe owner in the area.

According to her account, the teenager had inquired about bus schedules but opted not to wait for a service that would arrive in two hours. After making this decision, he was seen walking out of the village.

Subsequently, the last signal from his phone was detected in the Rural de Teno National Park.

As reported by Sky News, the remains were discovered in an area where the teenager went missing.

Authorities in Tenerife, Spain, have been desperately searching for missing 19-year-old Jay, who disappeared a month ago while on vacation with friends.

Search dogs and mountain rescue teams - as well as volunteers - had also joined the search for the missing teen.

Debbie Duncan with her son, Jay Slater, who vanished in Tenerife. Credit: Facebook

Jay had traveled to the Canary Island on June 13 for the NRG music festival at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas along with his friend Lucy and another companion.

However, after a night out, he opted to stay with individuals he had recently met, rather than return to their shared apartment.

Although formal identification is still pending, authorities have stated that the evidence strongly indicates the remains belong to the 19-year-old.

19-Year-old Jay Slater went missing after a night out on the island. Credit: Handout

Police said in a statement via Sky News: "The mountain rescue and intervention group of the Civil Guard has located the lifeless body of a young man in the Masca area after 29 days of constant search.

"Given the complexity of the case, the discovery has been possible thanks to the incessant and discreet search carried out by the Civil Guard during these 29 days, in which the natural space was preserved so that it would not be filled with curious onlookers.

"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 that he could have suffered an accident fall in the inaccessible area where he was found. We are awaiting the results of the autopsy."

The Civil Guard's mountain rescue and intervention group located the lifeless body in the Masca area after an intense 29-day search effort.

The police statement highlighted the challenging terrain where the body was found, suggesting that Jay may have suffered a fatal accident or fall in the inaccessible region.

Jay Slater vanished after a night out in Tenerife in June. Credit: Supplied

The discovery comes after weeks of relentless searching, characterized by discreet efforts to preserve the natural environment and minimize interference from bystanders.

Canarias Radio also reported on the find, noting that initial investigations point towards an accident or fall in the area where Jay was last seen.

Jay disappeared on June 17 after communicating with his friend Lucy Law about encountering difficulties during a hike from the northern part of the island back to his holiday accommodations in the south.

His journey was expected to take approximately 11 hours, but concerns mounted when he failed to arrive and subsequent attempts to contact him proved unsuccessful.

Credit: Europa Press News / Getty

Jay's last contact with Lucy Law at 8:30AM on the day of his disappearance indicated that he had missed a bus, his phone battery was critically low at 1%, and he had injured himself on a cactus.

On Sunday, his mother, Debbie Duncan issued a new statement through the British overseas missing persons charity, LBT Global.

She said 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 went on to describe the teenager as a "loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend to so many".

She also said that certain comments online were "very distressing for us all to read".

Debbie added: "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."

She described her son as "a typical young man who loves life with a bright future ahead of him," adding: "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."

Featured image credit: Instagram