A glimmer of hope for Jay Slater’s family - an Irish tourist who was found after vanishing in Tenerife

The family of missing Jay Slater are sick with worry about their son - but are still holding out hope he may be found alive after disappearing in Tenerife.

But the story of an Irish tourist who also vanished on the Spanish island last year to be found alive a few days later suggests all may not be lost in the missing person search for Mr Slater.

Reports from last year tell of how Ryan Cooney, who was aged 28 at the time, was last seen leaving his hotel Paraiso del Sol apartments in Playa de las Americas on 9 November 2023.

His friends alerted the police after realising he had not returned, and that he had not taken his medication since the previous day.

Before going missing, he had been assaulted and robbed in the tourist hotspot, causing further concern among his family and friends.

In a statement, the Missing Persons Helpline Ireland said at the time: “Ryan has two black eyes as he was attacked and the assailants took all his money and his phone. Hospitals and Police in Tenerife have been notified and the police also have his passport.”

They added the Irish Embassy in Madrid was providing assistance.

Ryan’s best friend, James Burke, said at the time as reported by The Irish Independent: “Ryan, please you have me worried sick brother, I told you everything will be ok, please just come back please, I’m begging you.”

Similarly to the case of Mr Slater, his family and friends travelled out to Tenerife to assist in the search, and he was found “safe and well” on 13 November.

Following his discovery, his friend Mr Burke wrote: “Words can’t describe how I’m feeling right now. This is unreal, this doesn’t happen. I’m so happy. Thank you so much to everyone, my best mate is found safe, he’s coming home.”

It comes as the family of Mr Slater, 19, continue their search alongside police and sniffer dogs in Tenerife after he disappeared on Monday 17 June after a night out.

After spending an evening with friends at the New Rave Generation festival in the Papagayo nightclub in the south of the island, Mr Slater travelled to the remote Masca village with two British men during the early hours of the morning.

His friend last spoke to him at around 8.15am the following morning, in which he told her he was dehydrated, lost, and only had one per cent phone battery.

An eyewitness said he had asked for bus timings, before deciding to make the 11-hour trek out of the mountain region. Spanish police have spent the last several days combing the rugged terrain searching for a trace of the apprentice bricklayer.

His family and friends have flown out to Tenerife to support the investigation, with his father seen pinning up posters to raise awareness of his son’s disappearance.