Human remains have been found in the search for a British teen who vanished nearly a month ago on the island of Tenerife, Spanish police reported on Monday.
Formal Identification Awaits for Remains Suspected To Be Jay Slater
While the remains are believed to be those of Jay Slater, formal identification has yet to be confirmed, police stated.
The statement indicates that the Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group of the Civil Guard discovered the lifeless body of a young man in the Masca region after 29 days of ongoing search efforts. "All evidence suggests that it could be the young British man who has been missing since June 17."
LBT Global, a charity supporting Slater's family, mentioned that the body was found with Slater's clothing and belongings near the last known location of his mobile phone.
Nineteen-year-old Slater was last seen starting a walk from Masca, a village in the northwest of the Canary Island, to his accommodation in Los Cristianos in the south.
The journey, which would take about 11 hours on foot over rugged terrain, was interrupted when Slater called his friend, Lucy Law, in distress, saying he was "lost in the mountains, disoriented, desperately needed water, and his phone battery was at 1%."
Police stated that the body was found in a highly remote location, and an autopsy will be conducted "to determine if the death was accidental.
Slater, a 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle in northwest England, had gone to a music festival the day before his disappearance.
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Search for Missing Teen Jay Slater in Tenerife
As the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater, Spanish rescuers are continuing to search the rugged terrain in Tenerife where he was last seen.
Local authorities and volunteers are using dogs, drones, and helicopters in their efforts. Meanwhile, in Britain, online sleuths are conducting their investigations via Google Maps and spreading conspiracy theories and hoaxes, which have added to the distress of Slater's family and friends and could potentially hinder the investigation.
Slater's last known contact was a call to a friend, Lucy, during which he reported being lost, thirsty, and injured.
A Facebook group titled "JAY SLATER MISSING - ONLY OFFICIAL GROUP" has over half a million members, while another group discussing theories about his disappearance has nearly 288,000 members.
Some of the more outlandish theories include involvement by a shark, Moroccan drug gangs, or the mafia. Conspiracy theorist David Icke has also made dubious claims. Speculation is rampant on social media platforms like X and TikTok.
A climber from Bedfordshire, Paul Arnott, has joined the search in Tenerife, sharing updates on TikTok. Meanwhile, false posts and trolls online are causing further issues, including impersonation and hacking attempts.
A misleading photo circulated last weekend, claiming to show Slater's body in Los Cristianos, but was taken in Iceland.
Additionally, some conspiracy theories have falsely targeted Slater's family, including a baseless claim that his mother is someone else entirely.
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