Yahoo News Jay Slater's friends leave Tenerife as search for missing teen continues
Two of Jay Slater's closest friends have left Tenerife and returned to the UK, as the hunt for the missing teenager carries on. The 19-year-old has been missing for over three weeks, last seen on the island of Tenerife on June 17.
He was holidaying with his friends Lucy Law, 18, and Brad Hargreaves, 19, and was last seen in Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas, the night before he disappeared, reports Bristol Live.
Both Lucy and Brad have now left the Spanish holiday spot and are back in Britain, despite the ongoing search for Jay. It's reported that Lucy returned to the UK last week, while Brad came back this past Sunday, joined by his mum Rachel, who is actively involved in the search for Jay through a Facebook page she manages.
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However, as the search efforts continue in Tenerife, several online trolls have been spreading theories about Jay's disappearance, with some cruelly questioning his mate Lucy's account of the day he went missing. At present, the Hargreaves family have chosen not to release any statements.
According to 18-year-old Lucy, she was the last known person to speak to Jay who told her he was lost, dehydrated and had one per cent phone battery, before vanishing without a trace in Tenerife. 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 moved by the circumstances, chose to deactivate her Facebook account but briefly returned to social media after arriving back in the UK. Earlier this week, she posted a cryptic message on Instagram that only added to the mystery for those following the case.
Her post was a selfie with Jay, accompanied by a crying emoji and a blue heart, but it has since been removed.
Meanwhile, as his friends returned home, Jay's uncle Glen Duncan, who has been outspoken about his dissatisfaction with the search efforts, is thought to have flown back to the UK on Tuesday. Speaking previously to Sky News from Santiago del Teide, a charming rural town, he conveyed 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, disappeared after leaving a rave in Tenerife with two other Brits and spending the night at an Airbnb in a remote village. This trip marked his first time travelling abroad.
The last known contact with Jay was on Monday, June 17, when he tried to return to Los Christianos, where he had been holidaying with his friends Lucy and Brad.
A spokesperson for the Civil Guard confirmed that officials are continuing to probe into the disappearance of 19 year old Jay, stating: "The investigation is ongoing and several lines of inquiry are being pursued."
This statement comes amid speculations that Jay is feared to be 'missing dead'.
Waltham Abbey's mayor, Shane Yerrell, an experienced climber who has taken on challenges such as Kilimanjaro and Mount Olympus, was part of the search team over the weekend. Alongside Jay's dad Warren (58), brother Zak (24), and other relatives and friends, he scoured the last known location of Jay.
Shane pledged his ongoing support to the distressed family - including Jay's mother Debbie - and expressed intentions to return to the island to assist with the search efforts.
Echoing the sentiments of sympathy for the family, Shane stated: "They're just living on hope. It's awful - they've got no answers. They don't know whether Jay is alive or dead."
On the subject of Jay's parents holding onto hope for his survival, Shane added: "Of course. I would be exactly the same. Until you know for sure".
Having flown more than 2,000 miles from Essex to Tenerife last week after touching base with Jay's family and offering his assistance, Shane has played a vital role in supporting many bereaved families since 2011, raising nearly £200,000 for individuals in crisis.
Despite no sightings of Jay, missing persons expert Charlie Hedges has offered a glimmer of hope to the distraught family. Speaking to The Times, Hedges suggested that the teenager could have survived by drinking rainwater and eating plants.
The decision to halt the search was met with criticism from army reservist Juan Garcia. He told The Times: "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."
In a separate interview with The Sun, former detective Hedges expanded on this possibility: "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."
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