Search for British teenager missing on holiday in Tenerife

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Spanish police are searching for a British teenager who has gone missing during a holiday in Tenerife.

Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on Monday morning as he told a friend he planned to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus, a journey expected to take around 11 hours on foot.

His friend Lucy – who had gone to the island with him to attend the NRG music festival – told the Manchester Evening News (MEN) that Mr Slater had gone to stay with people he had met on holiday after a night out.

She said she had received a call from Mr Slater at around 8.15am on Monday after he missed the bus and was trying to walk back although he had said he was lost, needed a drink of water and had only 1% battery on his phone.

Mr Slater’s phone then cut off, with his last location showing as the Rural de Teno park – a mountainous area popular with hikers.

Lucy told the MEN that one of the people Mr Slater had met had driven them back to his apartment in a hire car and the missing man had not realised how far away it was.

“He’s ended up out in the middle of nowhere. Jay was obviously thinking he would be able to get home from there,” she said.

“But then in the morning he’s set off walking, using his Maps on his phone and ended up in the middle of mountains with nothing around.”

Mr Slater was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with shorts and trainers.

He was also believed to be carrying a black bag, the MEN reported.

Mr Slater’s mother, Debbie, flew to Tenerife on Tuesday morning.

She told the Daily Mail: “I’m obviously beside myself with worry which is why I’ve flown out here with my eldest son to do anything we can to help.

“We’re just praying the police or someone finds Jay. I know there’s a mountain rescue team out and a helicopter.

“Nothing’s ever going to be enough when your youngest son’s gone missing but it sounds as if the police here are taking this very seriously and doing the best job they can.”

A Civil Guard spokeswoman in Tenerife told the Daily Mail that “everything possible” was being done to find Mr Slater.

“A specialist Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group called the Greim have been mobilised.

“A police helicopter is also out and focusing on the area around the village of Masca.

“Other emergency services including firefighters have also been mobilised.

“Everything possible is being done to try to find the missing man.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”