By Man Hedgecoe & Jonny Humphries, Lynette Horsburgh, BBC Information
The 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 demise was the “worst information”, including: “I simply can’t consider this might occur to my lovely boy.”
Officers say the 19-year-old’s demise is a results of “trauma in keeping 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 had 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 folks he had been with on the NRG music pageant on the island.
‘Fall from appreciable peak’
Earlier, the Excessive Court docket of Justice of the Canary Islands mentioned: “Now we have a optimistic identification and extra knowledge: fingerprint exams present that the physique is [that] of Jay Slater and that the demise was brought on by trauma in keeping with a fall in a rocky space.”
LBT World’s Matthew Searle was with Mr Slater’s mom once they heard the information that the physique had been recognized as her son and mentioned the household had been devastated.
He mentioned: “The announcement does appear to verify that Jay died of accidents in keeping with an unintended fall from a substantial peak.”
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 kind out the following steps of taking Jay residence, restoration of his belongings and laying him to relaxation.”
An earlier court docket assertion immediately 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 demise would take extra time.
Mr Slater’s physique was found by members of a mountain rescue staff from the Spanish Civil Guard, close to the village of Masca, on Monday.
Why did Spanish police say the search was referred to as off?
Simply two weeks in the past, the civil guard on the island mentioned the search had been referred to as off, although the investigation remained open.
It’s now clear that, the truth is, the drive was persevering with with searches throughout this time.
Hinting at a attainable cause, police mentioned they made efforts to “protect the pure area to make sure it didn’t refill with curious onlookers”.
That gave the impression to be a reference to the massive curiosity the case generated within the UK, significantly on social media, the place weird conspiracy theories had 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 usually give briefings throughout investigations, the Spanish police give little or no info to the media whereas instances like this are open. They did, nonetheless, say that nothing had been dominated out.
It’s attainable that this method allowed the data vacuum to be crammed by “curious onlookers”. Saying the halting of the search but persevering with it in a low-key, nearly secret, method allowed the net noise – and media consideration – to subside.
Nonetheless, the police do seem eager to exhibit 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 buddy of Jay Slater paid tribute to “the happiest and most smiley individual within the room”.
Lucy Legislation, who was the final recognized individual to talk to Mr Slater throughout a telephone name on 17 June, paid tribute to him on her Instagram web page.
She mentioned: “Truthfully misplaced for phrases. All the time the happiest and most smiley individual within the room, you was (sic) considered one of a sort Jay and you will be missed greater than you recognize.”
Ms Legislation’s tribute continued: “I am positive you may ‘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 learning as an apprentice bricklayer, mentioned it was “deeply saddened” to listen to the information of his demise.
It added, Mr Slater was a “hard-working apprentice” on the faculty “with a really vivid future forward of him”.
“Our ideas and condolences exit to his household, buddies, and all who knew and liked him.”
The pinnacle 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 Major College, mentioned: “All members of our college communities, each previous and current, share in our condolences and deepest sympathies for individuals who knew Jay.
“As a faithful mom, we all know Debbie would have by no means given up on the lookout for Jay, and she or he and the household are firmly in our ideas and prayers at this tough time.”
About 100 folks attended a vigil in reminiscence of Mr Slater at West Finish Methodist Church in Oswaldtwistle earlier, the place they launched balloons.
Buddy Holly Kidd mentioned she “at all times hoped he could be alright”.
“I used to exit with him spherical city. He was such a stunning lad, it is actually upsetting. Only a actually good buddy. I simply need him to know that all of us miss him and we at all times will,” she mentioned.
Carly Armstrong, whose son was buddies with {the teenager}, mentioned: “It has been heartbreaking. They grew up collectively.
“If I might have gone over and searched the mountains myself I’d have. It might have been any of them actually, it is simply devastating.
“I need to present Jay’s mum that all of us love her, are pondering of her and are all right here.”
Pam Kerann who coached Mr Slater at soccer when he was youthful, mentioned: “It is good for the neighborhood to come back collectively and keep in mind Jay.
“Everybody’s bought their very own recollections of him. He is a mop-haired little footballer to me.”
