Funeral held for British teenager Jay Slater
Family handout
Jay Slater (right) was described by his family as a “loving son” and “cherished brother”
The funeral of British teenager Jay Slater, who died while on holiday in Tenerife, is being held.
The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, fell to his death after getting lost in a mountainous area of the island on 17 June.
His disappearance prompted a major search and widespread publicity until his body was found in a ravine a month later.
More than 200 people attended a chapel service in Accrington with many watching on a large screen outside the small venue.
Attendees were asked to wear something blue in memory of Mr Slater
Mr Slater’s loved ones asked that people donate to the LBT Global charity, which supports the families of British nationals who go missing overseas, instead of bringing floral tributes.
The teenager, who worked as an apprentice bricklayer, was described by his family as a “loving son” and “cherished brother”, who loved dance, music and playing football.
Crowds watched the service on an outdoor screen outside the small chapel
Before his death, he had been on his first holiday abroad without parents to attend the NRG music festival at the tourist hotspot of Playa de las Americas.
His friends said he then got into a car with two men he met during the event, who reportedly drove him to their Airbnb in the village of Masca in the Rural de Teno national park.
Both men, who were spoken to by Spanish police, were ruled “irrelevant” to the investigation into Mr Slater’s disappearance.
Reuters
Jay Slater was reported missing after he got lost in the Rural de Teno park
The teenager left the accommodation on the morning of 17 June and walked for about half an hour before calling a friend to say he was lost, thirsty and had 1% battery on his phone.
A post-mortem examination revealed his body had injuries consistent with a fall from height onto rocky ground.
His disappearance drew intense speculation and conspiracy theories, with his family and friends also becoming subject to online abuse.
Although there was no live stream for the service, a number of social media accounts had offered access to a fake stream in exchange for likes and money as part of a scam.
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