Jay Slater's loved ones say 'we're still going to keep searching' as police stop

Jay Slater's family and friends have vowed to continue their search for the missing Lancashire teenager, despite the official police search being called off today.

Rachel Hargreaves, a family friend, spoke to the M.E.N this afternoon (June 30) saying: "We will be staying out here and doing all we can to find Jay." It comes just hours after the massive search operation near Masca's mountain village was officially concluded by Spanish authorities.

However, the case remains active, with Tenerife police open to new information that could lead to Jay's discovery. The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle, disappeared after setting off to walk back to his accommodation on the holiday island on June 17.

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Helicopters, drones and search dogs were deployed to find the apprentice bricklayer and the search in the village of Masca, near his last-known location, took in a steep rocky area, including ravines, trails and paths. The apprentice bricklayer had attended the NRG music festival with two friends before his disappearance, and his last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island – which was about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.

He had travelled to an Airbnb in Masca and the two men said to have rented the property were later ruled “not relevant” to the case, according to reports.

Ms Hargreaves, whose son Brad is a close friend of Jay and was with him at the NRG festival before he went missing, has joined other loved ones in Tenerife to aid Jay's family, including his mother Debbie, father Warren, and brother Zak in their quest for answers.

The group has been a crucial part of the ongoing investigation into Jay's mysterious disappearance, as acknowledged by the Spanish police. Confirmation of the dramatic end to the fortnight-long search came less than 24 hours after a 'last push' operation involving around 30 police, firefighters and Civil Protection along with a handful of volunteers, which failed to find any trace of the teenager.

A Guardia Civil spokesperson said on Sunday: "The search operation has now finished, although the case remains open."

It's understood on the ground in Tenerife that the visible search that's been ongoing in the municipality of Buenavista del Norte, near Masca, with helicopters, dogs, and emergency service workers has been called off completely. But the parallel investigation is still ongoing, and police are not discussing what they are doing there.

Jay's disappearance isn't necessarily crime-related, the M.E.N. understands, but the Civil Guard has said from the beginning of the search that they're keeping all options open. A GoFundMe appeal Get Jay Slater Home was set up by his friend Lucy Law and had raised more than £43,000 as the police search came to an end.

Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, travelled to the island as the search took place. She said the money raised online would be used to support mountain rescue teams, and to cover her own accommodation and food costs.