Human Remains Found in Search for Missing British Teen Jay Slater in Tenerife

A rescue team in Tenerife found remains believed to belong to Jay Slater, a British teenager who went missing a month ago. Police suggest he may have died from a fall, pending autopsy confirmation. His last known location was the Masca ravine, and authorities kept up a discreet month-long search.

A Spanish mountain rescue team in Tenerife discovered human remains in the area where British teenager Jay Slater vanished nearly a month ago, local police confirmed on Monday. Evidence strongly indicated the remains were his.

According to the Guardia Civil police, Slater may have succumbed to a fall in the treacherous terrain, but an autopsy will confirm the exact cause of death. A police spokesperson informed Reuters by phone that a Civil Guard mountain rescue team found the body on Monday morning. The family has been notified, and the autopsy will soon be conducted, with the case then being handed over to a Tenerife court to determine the cause of death.

Jay Slater, 19, went missing on June 17, with his phone last tracked to the Masca ravine in a remote national park on the Canary Islands. Spanish police halted an intensive search for him on June 30, which involved officers, rescue workers, and volunteers using various search tools.

However, on Monday, the Guardia Civil reported maintaining a "continuous and discrete search" for the entire 29-day period. Slater's mother, Debbie, had organized a specialized search team from the Netherlands to join efforts over the weekend.

In a statement, Debbie described Jay as a hardworking, well-loved young man from Lancashire, urging people to pray for him and his family. The family could not be immediately reached for further comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)