2 hours in the past
By Man Hedgecoe & Jonny Humphries, Lynette Horsburgh, BBC Information
Household handoutThe mom of British teenager Jay Slater says the household’s “hearts are damaged” after a physique present in Tenerife was confirmed as her son.
Debbie Duncan mentioned in assertion that her son’s dying was the “worst information”, including: “I simply can’t imagine this might occur to my lovely boy.”
Officers say the 19-year-old’s dying is a results of “trauma in step with a fall in a rocky space”, including that fingerprint exams confirmed the physique present in Masca on Monday was Mr Slater.
Earlier, charity LBT World had confirmed that Mr Slater’s possessions have been additionally found close to his final recognized location.
{The teenager}, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was final seen on 17 June, after visiting an Airbnb rented by two individuals he had been with on the NRG music competition on the island.
‘Fall from appreciable top’
Earlier, the Excessive Courtroom of Justice of the Canary Islands mentioned: “We’ve a optimistic identification and extra information: fingerprint exams present that the physique is [that] of Jay Slater and that the dying was brought on by trauma in step with a fall in a rocky space.”
LBT World’s Matthew Searle was with Mr Slater’s mom after they heard the information that the physique had been recognized as her son and mentioned the household have been devastated.
He mentioned: “The announcement does appear to substantiate that Jay died of accidents in step with an unintended fall from a substantial top.”
Mr Searle mentioned the charity, which helps households in lacking individuals instances abroad, could be supporting the household “to make this horrific time as simple as attainable”.
He added: “We’re working with the household now to type out the subsequent steps of taking Jay house, restoration of his belongings and laying him to relaxation.”
An earlier court docket assertion as we speak mentioned that documentation discovered with the physique belonged to the apprentice bricklayer.
“It’s confirmed that the documentation that was on the physique discovered yesterday within the mountains of Masca belongs to Jay Slater,” it mentioned.
It went on so as to add that “every thing means that it was an unintended fall” however the outcomes of the official investigation into the dying would take extra time.
Mr Slater’s physique was found by members of a mountain rescue group from the Spanish Civil Guard, close to the village of Masca, on Monday.
Why did Spanish police say the search was known as off?
Simply two weeks in the past, the civil guard on the island mentioned the search had been known as off, although the investigation remained open.
It’s now clear that, actually, the power was persevering with with searches throughout this time.
Hinting at a attainable motive, police mentioned they made efforts to “protect the pure house to make sure it didn’t refill with curious onlookers”.
That seemed to be a reference to the large curiosity the case generated within the UK, significantly on social media, the place weird conspiracy theories have been circulating and which even led to some on-line sleuths travelling to Tenerife to affix within the search.
In distinction to the UK, the place officers will typically give briefings throughout investigations, the Spanish police give little or no info to the media whereas instances like this are open. They did, nevertheless, say that nothing had been dominated out.
It’s attainable that this strategy allowed the data vacuum to be crammed by “curious onlookers”. Asserting the halting of the search but persevering with it in a low-key, just about secret, approach allowed the web noise – and media consideration – to subside.
Nonetheless, the police do seem eager to display how demanding the search has been and why it has taken so lengthy.
Video launched by the civil guard confirmed simply how tough it was to entry the steep rocky space the place the physique was found.
Earlier, a good friend of Jay Slater paid tribute to “the happiest and most smiley individual within the room”.
Lucy Regulation, who was the final recognized individual to talk to Mr Slater throughout a cellphone name on 17 June, paid tribute to him on her Instagram web page.
She mentioned: “Truthfully misplaced for phrases. At all times the happiest and most smiley individual within the room, you was (sic) one in every of a form Jay and you will be missed greater than .”
Ms Regulation’s tribute continued: “I am positive you will ‘have your dancing footwear polished and prepared’ ready for us all.
“All of us love you buddy. Fly excessive.”
Accrington and Rossendale Faculty, the place Mr Slater was finding out as an apprentice bricklayer, mentioned it was “deeply saddened” to listen to the information of his dying.
It added, Mr Slater was a “hard-working apprentice” on the school “with a really brilliant future forward of him”.
“Our ideas and condolences exit to his household, associates, and all who knew and liked him.”
The top lecturers of the first and highschool Mr Slater attended in Oswaldtwistle have issued a joint tribute to him.
Andrew Williams, head instructor of Rhyddings Excessive College, and James McBride, head instructor of West Finish Main College, mentioned: “All members of our faculty communities, each previous and current, share in our condolences and deepest sympathies for individuals who knew Jay.
“As a loyal mom, we all know Debbie would have by no means given up in search of Jay, and he or she and the household are firmly in our ideas and prayers at this tough time.”
Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Sarah Smith mentioned the information was “heartbreaking”.
She added: “That is the worst information a guardian may ever obtain.”