Yahoo News Jay Slater missing: Family issues statement as £36,000 now raised through GoFundMe page
The family of missing teenager Jay Slater have once again shared their ongoing anguish as the search for the young British man enters its eleventh day. The 19-year-old from Lancashire has been missing since June 17, having last been seen in the mountains of Rural de Teno Park after he 'walked off alone' from his Airbnb accommodation.
The extensive rescue operation to locate Jay has involved members of the Civil Guard, fire crews and mountain rescue teams scouring the vast and 'treacherous' terrain. Friends and family of Jay have also journeyed to the island to aid in the search efforts.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page set up to support the search has raised over £36k, sparking online speculation and debate about how the funds will be used. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Debbie, a family member, described their situation as a 'living nightmare', but expressed her unwavering faith in the police and rescue teams conducting the searches.
Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp
She said: "I have every faith in them down on the ground and the amazing searches they are carrying out along with more amazing guys up there.", reports the Manchester Evening News.
"As a family we are in a living nightmare, We have no further updates other than that Jay is still missing. We are just ignoring the social media side of things. Just please pray for Jay."
Debbie, who set up the GoFundMe page, has announced that they are in the process of withdrawing the funds raised. She detailed how the donations would be used, including supporting mountain rescue teams, covering accommodation and food costs, and flying other family members to Tenerife.
In an update on the page, she wrote: "First, I would like to thank everyone for your support, kind messages, and good wishes. It's difficult to wrap our heads around what is happening right now, but we are not losing hope that we will find Jay and return home together."
"We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held. I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay."
"Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses. I'm surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we'll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times. Thank you again for all your donations and support, this means the world to us."
