Body of missing British teen Jay Slater found after 29 Days

A body, believed to be that of missing 19-year-old Jay Slater from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, who had been missing for nearly a month has been located by search teams in a remote area of Tenerife. The site was so inaccessible that rescuers needed to use a helicopter to reach it.

Jay Slater disappeared on June 17, prompting a massive search effort. The official search was called off after 13 days, but Spanish police announced today they discovered a body. A police statement suggested that Slater may have died from an accident or fall in the difficult terrain where he was found. An autopsy will provide more details.

According to DailyMail, the body was retrieved using a winch attached to a helicopter due to the steep ground. Nearby, search teams found personal items and clothing belonging to Slater. Missing persons charity LBT Global confirmed that the remains were found close to the last known location of Slater's mobile phone near Masca village.

Brad Hargreaves, one of Jay's friends, shared a heartfelt tribute and photo of them on Instagram. The body was found in a remote and rugged area filled with ravines and cacti, notoriously hard to traverse.

Slater went missing after attending a music festival and staying at an Airbnb near Masca. On the morning of his disappearance, he called a friend saying he was lost in a mountainous area with just 1 percent battery left on his phone. The call cut off, and his phone last pinged in the Rural de Teno national park.

Spanish police released footage of the search, showing mountain rescue experts navigating challenging terrain. According to the platform, they stated that the search for Slater continued tirelessly over the past 29 days. A Civil Guard spokesman said, "All indications suggest that it could be the young British man who had been missing for 29 days, who may have died due to an accidental fall in the rough and inaccessible area where he was found."

Slater's mother, Debbie Duncan, and family remained hopeful throughout the search. They organized additional efforts after the official search ended, bringing in rescue experts from the Netherlands.

Formal identification and further investigations are underway to confirm the circumstances around his death. The family continues to seek privacy as they process this heartbreaking news.