Jay Slater's friends leave Tenerife and fly home amid search for missing teenager

Two of Jay Slater's closest friends have left Tenerife and returned to the UK, as the search for the missing teen continues. The 19-year-old has been missing for over three weeks, and was last seen on the island of Tenerife on June 17.

He had been on holiday with friends Lucy Law, 18, and Brad Hargreaves, 19, and was last spotted partying at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas the night before he vanished, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Both Lucy and Brad have now left the Spanish holiday destination and are back in Britain, despite searches for missing Jay. Lucy is reported to have returned to the UK last week, while Brad came back this past Sunday, accompanied by his mum Rachel, who is actively participating in the search for Jay through a Facebook page she runs.

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However, as the search efforts continue in Tenerife, several online troll spread theories about Jay's disappearance online, with some callously questioning his mate Lucy's version of events on the day he went missing. Currently, the Hargreaves family have opted not to issue any statements.

According to 18-year-old Lucy, she was the last known person to speak to Jay who told her he was lost, thirsty and had one per cent phone battery, before disappearing without a trace in Tenerife. However, despite the police accepting this account, many online trolls did not, with several taking to social media to criticise and harass the teenager.

Lucy, deeply affected by the situation, decided to deactivate her Facebook account but made a fleeting return to social media after she came back to the UK. She took to Instagram earlier this week and shared a cryptic post that only heightened the intrigue for those following the case.

Her upload was a selfie with Jay, accompanied by a crying emoji and a blue heart, but the post has since been deleted.

Meanwhile, as his friends returned home, Jay's uncle Glen Duncan, who has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the search efforts, is believed to have flown back to the UK on Tuesday. Speaking previously to Sky News from Santiago del Teide, a quaint rural town, he expressed the family's "despair" but also their unwavering hope of finding the missing teenager.

"So far we've just been in touch with the British consulate out here who have been saying it's still a live investigation, we have just got to sit tight," he said. "It's just adding to the despair really."

Jay Slater, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, vanished after he left a rave in Tenerife with two other Brits and spent the night at an Airbnb located in a secluded village. This trip marked his first time travelling abroad.

The last known contact with Jay was on Monday, June 17, when he attempted to make his way back to Los Christianos, where he had been vacationing with his mates Lucy and Brad.

A Civil Guard spokesperson addressed the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 19-year-old Jay, stating: "The investigation is ongoing and several lines of inquiry are being pursued." This comment came amid rumours that Jay was 'missing feared dead'.

Waltham Abbey's mayor, Shane Yerrell, a seasoned mountaineer with past summits such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Olympus to his name, joined the weekend search for Jay. Alongside Jay's father Warren (58), brother Zak (24), and other friends and family members, he explored the area where Jay was last sighted.

Shane said he was committed to continuing his support for the distraught family, including Jay's mother Debbie, and plans to return to the island to help with the search.

Expressing sympathy for the family, Shane said: "They're just living on hope. It's awful - they've got no answers. They don't know whether Jay is alive or dead."

In relation to the continued hopes of Jay's parents for his survival, Shane said: "Of course. I would be exactly the same. Until you know for sure".

Flying over 2,000 miles from Essex to Tenerife last week, after contacting Jay's family and offering his help, Shane has proved crucial in aiding numerous distressed families since 2011, raising almost £200,000 for those in need.

Although there have been no sightings of Jay, missing persons expert Charlie Hedges still offers some hope to the family. Charlie advised that all may not be lost, stating its possible the missing teen may have survived drinking rainwater and eating plants.

After the search was brought to an abrupt end, army reservist Juan Garcia criticised police for halting their efforts prematurely. Speaking with The Times, Garcia suggested: "Two weeks is too premature to end the search. [Slater] could be alive somewhere - someone can drink from rainwater and eat plants. The family should not give up hope."

Expounding on this, ex-detective Hedges told The Sun in a separate interview: "It's certainly possible. I think it's important to let the investigation keep all lines of inquiry open until they're proven to be not viable.

"It is quite a long time to survive without food. Depends on how much rain there is, as to whether there's sufficient water."