Yahoo News Jay Slater's mum issues updated statement as teen remains missing in Tenerife
The mum of missing teenager Jay Slater has made an updated statement about the 'agony and pain' felt by the family as the 19 year old remains missing in Tenerife two weeks on from his disappearance. Jay, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, vanished on June 17 on the Spanish island. His last known whereabouts were leaving an Airbnb in the north of the island, near the village of Masca, at approximately 8am that day.
The young lad was holidaying with his mates Lucy Law, 18, and Brad Hargreaves, 19. They had been partying at the Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas before Jay left with two other Brits to return to their rented accommodation. His last known location was Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island - a treacherous 11-hour walk from where they were staying.
At around 8.30am on the morning he went missing, Jay rang Lucy to say he was lost, trying to find his way home without water and with only 1 per cent battery left on his phone. That was the last anyone heard from him, reports the Manchester Evening News.
After nearly two weeks of searching the vast and mountainous terrain for the teen, police called off the ground search. On June 30, they announced that while officers would continue to follow up on any leads or information received, the active search that had been ongoing since the apprentice bricklayer was reported missing would cease.
Jay's heartbroken family, including his mum Debbie Duncan, dad Warren Slater, and older brother Zak, are still in Tenerife, desperately seeking answers about his mysterious disappearance. Last night, Debbie shared the family's torment as she released a statement through LBT Global, a British charity dedicated to helping overseas missing persons.
She expressed: "We are a very close family and are absolutely devastated about his disappearance. Words cannot describe the pain and agony we are experiencing. He is our beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him and we just want to find him."
Further, she added: "Jay is a normal guy who is in his third year of an apprenticeship, and he is a very popular young man with a large circle of friends. We do not have any information on his whereabouts. The Guardia Civil have worked tirelessly up in the mountains where Jay's last phone call was traced."
Debbie gave the latest on the police investigation: "They conducted a land search for 12 days which involved every resource they had available. Although the land search ended, the Spanish police still continue with their investigations into why Jay had travelled to the location so far away from his accommodation. We offer our sincere thanks to the Spanish authorities who continue to follow lines of inquiries."
Debbie and Warren spent a significant amount of time yesterday afternoon discussing the case with officers at the Guardia Civil police station in Las Americas. Following the meeting, Debbie stated: "It's a mystery and he's still missing."
Hours earlier, two police officers had been spotted coming out of the Masca holiday rental where Jay spent his last known hours. Both in plain clothes, the men left just after 11am, blue forensic shoe covers on their feet. They were seen chatting with a local who had let them into the property. Approached near the premises before leaving in an orange Kia Sportage, one officer said, "I'm not authorised to talk to you. I've been inside. If you want any information speak to the press office in Santa Cruz."
On Monday, detectives told a judge that no evidence of criminal activity had been found in relation to the disappearance, and it would continue to be treated as a missing persons case. Standard procedure in Spain requires the police to report to a court, to open a routine judicial investigation.
Speaking on Monday, an anonymous judicial source said: "There is no evidence of criminality at this stage in this case. That's not to say things won't change because the case remains open and investigations are ongoing. But right now that's the situation."
Want more from MyLondon? Sign up to our daily newsletters for all the latest and greatest from across London here.
