Jay Slater latest: Autopsy to take place as police think teenager fell in Tenerife

Police believe Jay Slater suffered a fall in Tenerife after a body was discovered that is believed to be that of the 19-year-old.

The Spanish Civil Guard said initial investigations suggest the teenager “could have suffered an accident fall” in the steep and inaccessible area where the remains were found.

The force said an autopsy will be performed on the body “to confirm that the death was accidental”.

Jay Slater’s “devastated” family are “absolutely broken” after the discovery of a body in the search for the missing teenager.

They believe the 19-year-old likely died instantly after falling from a height in a remote area, and are therefore no longer critical of the search for him.

A family spokesman told MailOnline on Tuesday: “The whole family is absolutely broken. They are devastated. It’s not the outcome they were hoping for.

“Initially, they thought, how could he be so close and yet be missed? But now having seen the location, they appreciate the remoteness of it and there is no criticism of the search.

“It looks as if he fell from a height, so he would most likely have been killed instantly and he wasn’t there for a long time.

“There will be a PM [post-mortem] in Tenerife and probably one in the UK, and repatriation should be within a week or so, it’s all time-dependent.”

An autopsy of the body thought to be that of Jay Slater will “probably” take place this morning.

DNA tests will be carried out to establish the person’s identity, along with an autopsy, which a police spokesman told Manchester Evening News would “probably” happen on Tuesday morning.

Jay Slater’s friend Lucy Law has paid an emotional tribute to the teenager as “the happiest and most smiley person in the room”.

Writing on Instagram last night, she said: “Honestly lost for words. Always the happiest and most smiley person in the room, you was one of a kind Jay and you’ll be missed more than you know. I’m sure you’ll ‘have your dancing shoes polished and ready’ waiting for us all. We all love you buddy. Fly high.”

Ms Law, Mr Slater and their other friend Brad Hargreaves had all been on holiday together in Tenerife when the 19-year-old vanished.

Here is the full statement issued today by LBT Global, the charity supporting Jay Slater’s family, after a body was found in the search for the missing teenager:

“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.”

Here is the full statement from Spanish police as it confirmed they had found a body in the search for Jay Slater on Monday:

“The mountain rescue and intervention group of the Civil Guard has located the lifeless body of a young man in the Masca area after 29 days of constant search.

“Given the complexity of the case, the discovery has been possible thanks to the incessant and discreet search carried out by the Civil Guard during these 29 days, in which the natural space was preserved so that it would not be filled with curious onlookers.

“All indications indicate that it could be the young British man who has been missing since June 17 in the absence of full identification.

“The first investigations reveal that he could have suffered an accident fall in the inaccessible area where he was found.”

Tenerife’s civil guard said it had found a body in the search for Jay Slater, despite having publicly called off the search over two weeks ago.

After 13 days of searching, the Spanish authorities called off the search on June 30, but said they were continuing their investigation.

However upon recovering a body Monday, they revealed they had indeed continued an “incessant and discreet” search in which the “natural space was preserved so that it would not be filled with curious onlookers”.