Jay Slater’s family seen for first time since teen’s body was found in Tenerife mountains as they gather at church
JAY Slater’s distraught family today paid an emotional visit to a church close to where the teen tragically died.
Devastated mum Debbie Duncan, dad Warren Slater and brother Zak were seen in Santiago del Teide – the gateway town to mountainous Masca.
Wearing a black top, Warren spoke at length to a man in khakis, thought to be from search crew Signi Zoekhondon, outside San Fernando Rey church.
Debbie, 55, meanwhile sat on a bench with sunglasses covering her eyes as Zak, wearing a blue t-shirt, stood close by.
The family and a handful of others then headed to a cafe opposite.
It is the first time the family have been seen since they received the devastating news that Jay’s body had been found.
They were left heartbroken when police on Monday recovered his remains from a treacherous ravine 29 days after he vanished.
While the family were in Santiago del Teide, the specialist search team from the Netherlands was seen out on the rocky terrain with sniffer dogs.
They have gone down into the ravine where Jay’s body was discovered which police described as “inaccessible”.
Volunteer group Signi Zoekhondon flew to the island on Sunday evening, hours before Jay’s body was found the following morning.
But they have remained in Tenerife and are set to return later this week.
Debbie said today: “The wonderful team Signi Zoekhondon have remained in Spain all week and have continued to support us since Jay was found.
“They are due to fly home in the coming days and we are so appreciative of their dedication and support.”
She also asked for more donations on the GoFundMe page for Jay’s funeral to give him “the send-off he deserves”.
The family have remained in Tenerife and is making arrangements for Jay’s body to be repatriated to the UK.
Grief-stricken Debbie, Warren, 58, and Zak, 24, are hoping to go on the same flight – which is expected to be early next week.
It comes as…
- Jay Slater was confirmed dead on Tuesday as the body was found in a gruelling search on Monday after 4 weeks
- Jay’s mum said ‘our hearts are broken‘ after ‘beautiful’ son’s body is found
- Jay Slater cops revealed his cause of death details after teen suffered ‘broken bones’ from ‘horror fall’
- The body was discovered just yards away from where Jay’s phone last pinged
- Jay’s best pal Lucy Mae Law paid tribute to the ‘happiest person in the room’
- Donations on Jay Slater’s GoFundMe hit a huge benchmark of £60k
- Jay’s mum Debbie asked people to continue donating so she can give her son “the send-off he deserves”
Jay’s disappearance
Apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, travelled to a remote Airbnb in Masca with two men in the early hours of June 17.
He had been partying all night in Playa de las Americas, close to an hour’s drive away.
In the morning, he attempted the 11-hour walk back to his accommodation miles away.
Jay made a tragic final phone call to friend Lucy Law to say he was lost, needed water and only had one per cent phone battery.
It was the last time Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, was heard from, and a mammoth search mission was launched.
Jay’s dad Warren and brother Zak spent weeks searching the unforgiving terrain for a breakthrough after the teenager vanished on June 17.
They retraced his steps in the blistering heat for days on their own after Spanish cops suspended their search.
But his body was finally discovered by a helicopter crew on Monday at the bottom of a ravine close to where his mobile phone last pinged.
Jay’s body revealed that he had suffered multiple injuries consistent with an accidental fall from a considerable height.
Spanish officials in the Canary Islands used fingerprints to confirm his identity.
His body has now been released to the family to make repatriation arrangements.
A spokesman for the family said: “There are a number of complex issues that need to be addressed before he can finally be flown home to the UK.
“But the plan is for his family to be on the same flight. They want to bring him home.”
A UK coroner may then request a second post-mortem before he can be released for a funeral.
After authorities confirmed the ID, Jay’s family left touching tributes in the area where the teen is feared to have fallen.
A teddy bear with England flags and a bracelet with the letter J were also placed on a rocky track where Jay was last known to be.
Debbie described Jay as her “beautiful boy” in a touching handwritten note.
She wrote: “I’m so sorry we never found you.
“I miss you so much. You will be forever young and forever missed. Love you so much.”
Warren left a message that simply read: “To my boy. Love Dad.”
Zak promised to take care of their parents, writing: “Love you little bro. Never in a million years did I think I’d be doing this.
“I’ll look after Mum and Dad. Hope you’re partying up there with Grandad. Hope to see you again someday. Rest easy bro. I love you.”
Timeline of Jay Slater's disappearance
The grim discovery of a body came after weeks of agony for Jay’s friends and family. Here is how events unfolded:
June 16: Jay and his friends party on the last day of the NRG music festival at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de la Americas, Tenerife.
June 17th:
- 3-6am: Jay leaves with Ayub Qassim and another man for a £40-a-night Airbnb 23 miles away in the village of Masca.
- 7.30am: Jay shares a photo on Snapchat standing at the doorway of the Airbnb.
- 8.50am: He calls pal Lucy Mae Law and says he is “lost in the middle of nowhere” with no water, a cut to his leg and one per cent on his phone.
June 18: Pals search the area but no sign of Jay. Local cops and mountain rescue teams start the official search. Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan flies to Tenerife.
June 19 – 20: Spanish police deploy drones, dogs and a helicopter, but find no trace. Search moves to Los Cristianos amid possible sighting, but it is ruled out and they return to Rural de Teno, near Masca.
June 21: Lancashire Police offer support but it is declined.
June 22: Mum Debbie issues an appeal to Jay saying: “We just need you home.”
June 24: Claims of Jay sighting in Santiago del Teide — near where he disappeared — and family believe a grainy CCTV image could be of him.
June 25: Debbie issues a plea for Jay to come home as more friends fly out and TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas joins the search.
June 29: Cops rule Mr Qassim, and another man at Airbnb, out of investigation.
June 30: Spanish cops officially suspend hunt but say probe “remains open”. His family continue to search.
July 15: A body is found by a helicopter search team close to where his phone last pinged. His possessions are discovered next to human remains. Spanish cops say it points to an “accidental fall”.
July 17: Tenerife authorities confirm the body found in the mountainous area of the island is Jay’s.