New clue in Jay Slater search as expert says heartbreaking reason he may not be found

A renowned expert hunting for Jay Slater claims to have discovered a new "clue" which could explain why search squads might've overlooked the teen.

19-year-old Jay's family were forced to rely on the expertise of specialist volunteers following the suspension of the official search by Spanish authorities. Despite a large-scale, two-week search near the village of Masca in Tenerife's Parque Rural de Teno which was Jay's last known location whilst staying at an Airbnb, a spokesperson for the Civil Guard confirmed: "The search operation has now finished although the case remains open."

Three weeks have now passed since Jay vanished on the morning of June 17 with his father Warren Slater, mother Debbie Duncan and older brother Zak receiving help from skilled professionals based in the area.

READ MORE - Opulent watch maker Panerai opening on Edinburgh Princes Street with 'drinks area'

READ MORE - Former Edinburgh trampoline centre to be demolished for 'high quality' homes

Among these is Christopher Pennington, a former British military serviceman who moved to Tenerife in 2006, captivated by its natural allure. Chris, currently working in property and using his military expertise, expressed surprise when the official search came to a halt.

He blamed the police for their rigid approach of scrutinising only the defined pathways assuming that Jay would have stuck to them too. "This area has not been searched properly," he reported to Mail+, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Chris while combing through the rugged terrain of Parque Rural de Teno where Jay, trainee bricklayer was last seen, claimed to stumble upon a fresh 'clue'.

In a chilling twist to the ongoing mystery, a British ex-reservist discovered sunglasses eerily resembling those worn by the missing 19 year old at the NRG festival, just days after police called off their search. The glasses, with one lens missing, were found in the vicinity where the teen's phone last pinged.

The ex-soldier, Chris, didn't hesitate to hand over the potentially crucial find to the authorities, and it has since become a key piece of evidence in the police investigation. Adding to the intrigue, TV detective Mark Williams-Thomas has entered the fray, confirming he's been in contact with Ayub Qassim, 31, also known as 'Jonny Vegas', who is believed to be among the last to see the young man.

Qassim, the driver who took Jay to the secluded holiday home, has divulged details of their journey.

According to The Mirror, in an effort to piece together Jay's final steps, Chris meticulously retraced the route from the bustling coastal nightlife to the Airbnb where Jay was staying, driving from Papagayo nightclub to Casa Abuela Tina in Masca at the early hour of 5.30am on Saturday. Speaking to Mail+, he recounted maintaining speeds under 15km per hour due to the perilous hairpin turns.

Chris described the harrowing drive, noting: "It's dark, it's extremely dangerous," and confessed, "Let me be frank, it's scary up here on your own in the darkness."

He theorises that Jay, perhaps in haste to leave the rental, may have tragically misjudged his path and descended into the ravine, mistakenly believing the coast was closer.

Chris, who has been tirelessly searching for Jay, has pinpointed the 'most sensible' search areas based on the last known geolocation of Jay's phone. He ventured into the dense undergrowth near where Jay's sunglasses were found, describing the challenge of moving through the thorny thickets with limited visibility.

His hands bearing the marks of his journey, Chris noted the deceptive nature of the landscape: "You can only imagine that he's looked down at the coastline in the distance and thinks it's a lot closer than it really is. And that heading straight through the bush is the quickest route to safety."

However, Chris questioned why Jay, or anyone for that matter, would not return to the main path after experiencing the harsh conditions off-road: "If Jay came off the path and went through there, like I've just done, he wouldn't leave the path again. You'd have to be mad."

The search team also includes Juan Garcia, 53, and his four year old sniffer dog Caperucita. Garcia shared his insights with the Mail, highlighting the difficulty of the search from above due to the terrain: "It's a labyrinth of bushes and you can't see much from the air. We really are looking for a needle in a haystack," he expressed.

Before his disappearance, Jay rang his mate Lucy Law, who he was crashing with down south on the island, to say he was trying to get back to their digs but his mobile was about to die. Lucy shared that he said he was "thirsty" and couldn't find his way.

She also let slip that Jay had a run-in with a cactus. At the same time, another pal, Bradley Hargreaves, remembered hearing Jay take a tumble during their chat.

On This Morning, Brad, only 19, got choked up recalling Jay's zest for life and his last words, swearing to ring back after hanging up because "someone else ringing him".

Brad spilled the beans that at first, Jay wasn't too fussed about getting back to the lads in Tenerife. On telly, Brad explained: "He was on the phone and he goes: 'I've got to walk and go all down that road'".

Brad reckoned Jay would've picked a less risky path than the one he blabbed about on the blower. He then painted a picture of how he twigged Jay had wandered off track, saying he clocked the sound of Jay's trainers scuffing on loose chippings, showing he had "went off the road.. That's how I knew he went off the road because, you know when you walk on gravel, or whatever it is, you can... you know what I mean, stones."

He added: "I said: 'put your location on. He said: '15 minute drive, fourteen-hour walk.' I don't know if it's accurate or not so I said to him: 'it's only a 15-min drive, get a taxi."