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Hunt for British teenager who disappeared in Tenerife enters fifth day

Jay Slater was last heard from when he called his friend on Monday.

Josh Payne
Friday 21 June 2024 05:36 EDT
Police near the village of Masca, Tenerife, where the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater continues (James Manning/PA)
Police near the village of Masca, Tenerife, where the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater continues (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

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The hunt for a British teenager who went missing during a holiday in Tenerife has entered its fifth day, after a helicopter and rescue dogs joined the search party.

Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared after an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus.

He was last heard from on Monday when he called his friend, Lucy Law.

On Thursday, a helicopter flew over Rural de Teno park in the south of the Spanish island as search teams followed various footpaths in the area.

Footage released by the Guardia Civil on Thursday showed the views from the helicopter as it scoured the hillside.

The video, posted to the force’s X account, showed officers searching in bushes and overgrown terrain with dogs.

The walk from his last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

The search area was quiet on Friday, with only a handful of police cars stationed at Rural de Teno park.

Ms Law, who attended the NRG music festival with Mr Slater, said he called her at about 8.30am on Monday and told her he was “lost in the mountains, he wasn’t aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on 1%”.

Mr Slater’s mother, Debbie Duncan, who flew to Tenerife on Tuesday, said searching for her son was “an absolute living nightmare”.

Ms Duncan told ITV News: “He’s the life and soul, he’s a beautiful boy.”

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

A fundraiser set up by Ms Law to “get Jay Slater home” has since received more than £23,500 in donations.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman 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.”

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