BRITISH teenager Jay Slater is believed to have been found in Tenerife near where his phone last pinged a month ago.
The apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire was on holiday with two friends when he vanished on the holiday island on June 17.
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A huge search operation was launched in the area where the Brit teen’s phone was last active – near the village of Masca.
Police axed the hunt after two weeks with Jay’s family continuing to look for him themselves.
Although formal identification has yet to take place – the body was found alongside Jay’s belongings and clothes.
Cops, firefighters, volunteers, drones, sniffer dogs and mountain rescue scoured for miles around where the body is thought to have been recovered today.
Police put out a statement today all but confirming Jay had been found in Masca.
They said the person appeared to have “suffered an accident” or a “fall” in the same area where the body was found.
A spokesman for the Civil Guard said today: “After 29 constant days of searching the lifeless body of the young man has been found in the Masca area.
“The discovery has been possible thanks to the tireless and discreet search carried out by the Civil Guard over these 29 days.
“Everything is pointing to the body being that of the young British man who disappeared on June 17, pending full identification.
“Initial inquiries are pointing to him having suffered an accident/fall in the area where he was found.”
British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global later confirmed that the body was found near Jay’s belongings.
Full statement from LBT Global
LBT Global is saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater. It is understood the body was found close to the site of his mobile phone’s last location.
Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the body was found with Mr Slater’s possessions and clothes.
A post mortem and forensic enquiries will follow.
LBT Global are supporting the family at this distressing time and ask for everyone to afford them space and privacy to come to terms with the news.
Former investigator Mark Williams-Thomas – who has been working on the case for weeks – said: “Human remains found and all indications are that it is Jay Slater.
“The first investigations reveal that he could have suffered an accident fall in the inaccessible area.”
Jay’s distraught family have been updated and a formal investigation by police is set to follow.
The 19-year-old travelled to an unforgiving mountainous area in the early hours of June 17 with two men after a night of partying.
He then left in the morning, but after learning he’d missed the bus started trying to do the 11-hour trek back to his own accommodation.
One of the men – convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim – says Jay left the house alive.
Jay made a final frantic call to friend Lucy Law to say he was lost, had one per cent phone battery, and needed water.
In an earlier call to friend Brad, his feet could be heard slipping on the rocks before.
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