JAY Slater’s heartbroken pals held each other close as they paid their respects to the tragic teen just hours after Spanish cops confirmed he had died.
Tears streamed down mourners’ faces as they released blue balloons into the sky in Oswaldtwistle, Lancs. yesterday in honour of the 19-year-old.
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The loved ones gathered together after human remains were devastatingly found just yards from Jay’s last known location four weeks ago – with cops yesterday confirming they belonged to him.
Jay’s distraught mum Debbie Duncan said confirmation of his death was the “worst news”.
She added: “I just can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy.
“Our hearts are broken.”
And in the hours that followed Jay’s community gathered outside the West End Methodist Church, close to his family home, and bid farewell.
Blue ribbons lined the streets near the church and across the town not far from where the masses came together.
Mourners tied heartwrenching messages like “you’ll be missed” and “fly high Jay” to the balloons, before letting them go.
Inside the church, families were invited to light a candle and sign the book of condolences for Jay, while outside was packed with flowers.
Many knew Jay, with family friends and former football coaches paying tribute to the apprentice bricklayer.
Family friend Brian Ozenbrook told SkyNews: “We’d always hoped he’d be found alive. There was always a chance he would be found alive and today we found out that isn’t.
“That really upsets me, it’s just sad.”
Jay’s former football coach Pam Kierons said she was “devastated”.
The Mirror reporter Pam said: “I’m devastated for the family, devastated for Debbie.
It comes as…
“The outcome is not what anyone wanted, but at least they can bring his body home.”
ITV reported that during the service, Reverend Matt Smith said: “We come together to support each other. Weeks ago I shared a passage with you, ‘a light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it’.
“Today it might feel that the darkness has overcome us but today we also stand together and say that we will remember Jay.
“His light will never go out. We will remember him.”
He said that Debbie and other loved ones had last night planned to head up the mountain and lay flowers for Jay.
The Minister said: “Although we are thousands of miles away from each other we stand with them in solidarity. Debbie asked me to thank you for coming today.
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“She wanted everyone to know how loved Jay was and that is evident by everyone here. Jay will never be forgotten.
“Community is what will get us through the days and weeks to come. Together we will be stronger.”
His devastated mum Debbie today said she wanted to see her beloved son one more time.
A court on the Spanish island on Tuesday confirmed the body found was the Brit who disappeared while on holiday with pals in Tenerife after officials ID’d the body via fingerprints.
The teenager’s death was caused by “trauma consistent with a fall in a rocky area”, the Canary Islands High Court of Justice said.
A spokesman said: “We have a positive ID… Fingerprinting confirms that the body belongs to Jay Slater and the death was due to multiple traumas compatible with a fall in the mountainous area.”
I just can’t believe this could happen to my beautiful boy. Our hearts are broken.
Debbie Duncan
A Civil Guard spokeswoman also said Jay’s injuries included several broken bones.
She said: “The body of the man located yesterday has been identified of that as Jay Slater through fingerprint comparison and identification.
“The result of the preliminary autopsy points to the cause of death being a fall or plunge from height due to the broken bones he suffered.”
Spanish police on Monday recovered Jay’s body from a steep ravine in Masca after 29 days – understood to be close to where his phone last pinged.
Dramatic footage showed the moment a helicopter crewman was winched into the chasm with his arms aloft in the delicate recovery operation.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, vanished in the area on June 17 after leaving an Airbnb he went to with two men.
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As he attempted the 11-hour walk back to his own accommodation through the rough and rocky terrain, it is feared accidentally fell.
Officials say the body recovered was “very deteriorated” and documentation found with it were Jay’s.
It is “exceptionally difficult” to safely navigate down the valley on foot, one local told Sky News.
Another said: “It is sad – the spot where they found him shows he had gone a long way into the ravine.
“It is hard to understand how he got there.”
A local yesterday said that the ravine Jay’s body was found in is so dangerous that even they refuse to walk past.
There was always a chance he would be found alive and today we found out that isn’t.
Brian Ozenbrook
Charity LBT Global, who are supporting the family, said Jay’s possessions were also found near the body.
Debbie, 55, and dad Warren Slater, 58, jetted to the island and have been battling for answers.
They got the news they were dreading on Monday when Spanish police revealed a body had been located.
A family spokesman told The Sun: “There should be no need for the family to have to perform a formal identification.
“Debbie has said she wants to see him one last time.
“Obviously that’s a personal voice but given he’s been there the best part of a month in those conditions, I’m not sure that’s a memory she will want.”
Arrangements are being made to repatriate the body to the UK where a second post-mortem is likely to be carried out by a Home Office pathologist.
Timeline of the Jay Sater tragedy
THE grim discovery of a body comes after weeks of agony for Jay’s friends and family. Here is how the events unfolded:
Sunday, June 16: Jay and his friends party at the last day of NRG music festival being held at Papagayo night club in Playa de la Americas, Tenerife.
June 17 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 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.
Tuesday, June 18: Pals search area but no sign of Jay. Local cops and mountain rescue teams start 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 emotional appeal to Jay saying “We just need you home.”
June 24: Claims of Jay sighting in Santiago del Teide — near to where he disappeared — and family believe a grainy CCTV image could be of him.
June 25: Debbie issues plea for her son to come home as more friends fly out and TV investigator Mark Williams- Thomas joins search.
June 29: Cops rule Mr Qassim, and other 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 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 16: Tenerife authorities confirm the body found in mountainous area of island is Jay’s