Jay Slater investigation carried out 'under secrecy' after Spanish court intervention
An update has been issued in the search for Jay Slater
PA/Reuters
Detectives carrying out a search for missing teenager Jay Slater carried on the investigation "under secrecy."
Earlier today, the Spanish Civil Guard located a body in the village of Masca - almost a month after the 19-year-old from Lancashire went missing.
Editor of the Canarian Weekly Chris Elkington has said that the search was carried on under secrecy in order to stop amateur detectives from interfering in their work.
In a statement, Spanish police said initial investigations suggest Slater succumbed to "an accident or fall".
An update has been issued in the search for Jay Slater
PA/Reuters
Elkington told LBC: "[It was done] under a secrecy order from the court in charge of the investigation...they were actually carrying on with the search, unbeknownst to anyone."
He added that official identification and an autopsy would take place later this week. The Guardia Civil police force said in a statement that he may have died due to a fall in the difficult-to-access mountainous area, but that an autopsy would confirm whether it was an accident.
A police spokesperson said the body was found on Monday morning by a Civil Guard mountain rescue group.
The family has been notified and an autopsy will take place shortly, with the case then being transferred to a Tenerife court to determine the cause of death, the spokesperson said.
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Guardia Civil agent Cipriano Martin speaks with volunteers before beginning the search for the young Briton Jay Slater
Reuters
British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global, which has carried several statements on behalf of the family, said in an email that the body found "looks to be that of Jay Slater".
The remains were found with Slater's possessions and clothes and it is understood it was discovered close to the site of his mobile phone's last location, LBT Global said.
Slater's mother, Debbie, said on July 13 the family had arranged for a team of experts with specialist dogs to fly in over the weekend from the Netherlands.
"Jay is just a normal hardworking young lad from Lancashire who is very loved by all who know him," she wrote in a statement, asking people to pray for him and his family.
Jay Slater went missing over a month ago PASlater, from Oswaldtwistle, disappeared after setting off back to his accommodation from the NRG music festival which he had attended with two friends.
His last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island – which was about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.
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