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JOURNEY HOME
Jay Slater’s family to fly back with body in 48 hours in ‘hardest journey of their lives’ as GoFundMe reaches £70k
His family recently slammed trolls who disbelieved they needed 'so much cash' through the fundraiser
JAY Slater's family hope to repatriate his body within the next 48 hours as they prepare to "make the hardest journey of their lives", sources have revealed.
A GoFundMe raising money to support the family and pay for a funeral back in the UK reached £70,000 on Saturday,
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Jay's devastated mum Debbie Duncan is currently working with authorities in Tenerife to "finalise the last details" which would allow his body to be released.
The Sun understands the authorities are now "very close" to allowing this to happen.
A source said: "Officials are literally dealing with a final couple of matters and then Jay's family will be able to take him back home and to start planning for the funeral.
"For Jay's family the last few days have been horrendous.
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"Until they get home they don't really feel as if they can start the grieving process or the process of saying goodbye.
"Taking Jay's body back will be the hardest journey of their lives. But they know it's something they have to do.
"Their focus and aim is to give Jay the most fitting send-off possible and to celebrate and remember his life."
Our story comes a day after Jay's family were forced to defend themselves yet again as they came under attack from online trolls as his GoFundMe page hit an incredible £70,000.
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The fundraiser reached £60,000 in an outpouring of support after Jay's body was found on Monday.
And the page has now received more than 5,600 donations and raised just over £70,000 - an additional £40,000 to the initial benchmark of £30,000.
Jay's family has yet to comment on the new figure.
Exact location Jay Slater's body found in 'deathtrap' ravine revealed as footage reveals treacherous landscape
Web bullies have criticised Debbie, 55, and other members of the family for encouraging people to donate to a GoFundMe page which was set up when Jay went missing.
Jay's mother has asked for more donations so that she can give the teenager the "send-off he deserves" as she tries to repatriate his body back to the UK.
In a statement released on Thursday on the 'Get Jay Slater Home' GoFundMe page, she said: "Hello everyone, thank you for all of your kindness, support and condolences in light of the tragic news that Jay's body has been found.
"We are overwhelmed with grief and are so grateful for your support."
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She added: "We are working with agencies to arrange Jay's repatriation to the UK and the remaining funds, along with any future donations will be used to help with this if needed and to pay for Jay's funeral costs back home.
"We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves so please continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can.";
The family spokesperson LBT Global hit back, saying Jay's family were seeing "vast amounts of hateful content online".
Boss Matt Searle said: "This hate comes from people who, I assume, have never had to repatriate a deceased loved one.
"Those costs can top £20,000 easily.
"These people probably haven't had to arrange their own child's funeral, nor felt the need to make it the biggest and best they can as it's the last thing they'll ever do for their child."
On Wednesday, heartbroken mum Debbie, dad Warren and brother Zak left touching floral tributes and handwritten notes in the mountainous region of Masca where the teen fell to his death.
The next day, the family was seen in public for the first time as they paid an emotional visit to a church in Santiago del Teide, close to where the teen tragically died.
They also deployed a private search team to figure out the exact location the body was found.
It comes as...
- Jay Slater was confirmed dead on Tuesday as body was found in 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 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 body was tragically found on Monday at the bottom of a treacherous ravine in Masca - four weeks after he disappeared while on holiday with his pals for the NRG music festival.
The apprentice bricklayer, 19, had 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 own 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, Lancshire, 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.
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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.
Timeline of Jay Slater 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.
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