Yahoo News Jay Slater's mum issues direct plea to missing teen on sixth day of search
The mother of Jay Slater has made an urgent appeal to her missing son on the sixth day of the search for the British teenager, stating: "We just need you home."
Debbie Duncan expressed to the PA news agency that she has been unable to sleep since her 19 year old son vanished on the Canary Island of Tenerife. She shared her uncertainty about whether the Spanish authorities' refusal of assistance from the UK was because they might perceive it as "an insult".
Mr Slater, hailing from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, went missing after trying to walk back to his accommodation upon missing a bus and was last in contact on Monday morning. He had been at the NRG music festival on the island with two friends prior to his disappearance.
The journey from Mr Slater's last known location to where he was staying is estimated to be around an 11-hour walk. When asked how the family is dealing with the situation, Ms Duncan told PA: "We're not. I'm not coping very well at all."
"I've not slept, I'm exhausted. It's been awful. I can't give up on him, I just can't."
Lancashire Constabulary has offered support to the Guardia Civil, suggesting additional resources, but this offer was declined by the Spanish authorities. On the question of whether Spanish police should have accepted help from the UK force, Ms Duncan said: "I believe they said they've got enough resources and they don't need the help from English police."
"I don't know if they find it an insult I really don't know. I really don't know. They say they've got enough resources to get on with the investigation... I don't know, I don't know."
When asked if her head was spinning from the recent events, she responded: "It is, it is. People say: 'Yeah, I understand' no, you don't, you don't understand."
Speaking about what message she would have for her son, Ms Duncan said: "We just need you home we just need him home." Family friend Rachel Hargreaves told PA that those close to Mr Slater were staying in Tenerife "until we've got an outcome".
She stated: "We've got to live in hope haven't we you can't give up on anything can you really. We're here and we're staying until we've got an outcome."
Addressing the support the family had received from well-wishers, she expressed: "We're happy for anyone who wants to help or anyone with information or anything like that like I say we're still living in hope that we're going to get a positive outcome. We just feel like we'll leave it to the professionals now, and that's the best thing to do."
The search parties for Mr Slater seemed noticeably smaller on Saturday compared to other days with only a handful of emergency workers visible in Masca and the surrounding areas. Firefighters appeared to conduct the majority of the latest searches, as rescue teams, alongside sniffer dogs, set off on a steep gravel track at Rural de Teno Park in the morning.
The NRG festival issued a statement expressing their deep impact by the situation and their support for Mr Slater's family: "That such a devastating situation has arisen has deeply affected us all." They added, "We have been able to give some practical support to the members of Jay's family who have come to Tenerife in such difficult circumstances, and we are inspired by their resilience and determination."
In addition, a GoFundMe page set up for Mr Slater's family has garnered over £27,500 to assist family and friends staying in Tenerife during the ongoing search.
