‘Hard to understand’ how Jay Slater’s body got so far into ravine, locals say as hunt for clues continues

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.";

Officials say the body recovered was “very deteriorated” but they were able to ID Jay by fingerprint analysis.

Earlier today, cops said documentation found with the remains was Jay's and everything is pointing to an accidental fall.

A family spokesman told The Sun: "Formal identification of Jay's body will be done using a DNA sample provided by the family to the Spanish Guardia Civil during the early stages of the search.

"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."

The spokesman said a post-mortem on Jay's body will be conducted in the next 24 hours.

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.

Spanish cops say initial indications from the body - recovered from a steep ravine in the mountainous region of Tenerife - are consistent with a fall from a height.

The Civil Guard said: “After 29 constant days of searching, the lifeless body of the young man has been found in the Masca area.

“Given the complexity of the case the discovery has been possible thanks to the tireless and discreet search... in which the natural space was preserved.

What we know

• A body was found in the gruelling search for missing Jay Slater on Monday after 4 weeks
• The body was discovered just yards away from where Jay's phone last pinged
• Jay's family believe the missing teen was killed instantly after a horror fall
• Jay's best pal Lucy Mae Law pays tribute to the 'happiest person in the room'
• GoFundMe reveals 'next steps' in Jay Slater fundraiser as donations pour in
• Moment Jay Slater cops scour 'inaccessible mountain' for clues after body found

"The body of the young person was found in a very inaccessible area. The results of the autopsy are awaiting confirmation it is an accident.

"The large-scale operation involving multiple units had been suspended but, as we always said, we never stopped looking for Jay.

"The mountain rescue group continued looking for the missing man when they were on duty.

"We’ve always said the terrain is very difficult and the search was complicated."

Despite ending the official search on June 29, Tenerife cops continued to search in private.

Social media was rife with armchair detectives peddling vile conspiracy theories and hounding Jay’s devastated family.

Some amateur sleuths even took it upon themselves to fly to the island in a bid to crack the case themselves.

It fuelled cops to keep their work even more private as they refused to add to the “circus” caused by trolls and wannabe sleuths, police sources say.