Yahoo News "All those trollers having a go at us, they don't know how we feel" - Missing Jay Slater's dad issues update from Tenerife
Jay Slater's father has provided an update on the ongoing search for his missing son in Tenerife, while also addressing and challenging the negative comments from online trolls since his disappearance.
The hunt for Jay reached its 12th day on Saturday, with authorities conducting a comprehensive "macro search" across the island, aiming to find any trace of the 19 year old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. Jay was last in contact nearly two weeks prior, on a Monday morning, when he informed a friend of his intention to trek back to where he was staying after not catching a bus, a walk that was expected to take approximately 11 hours.
Lucy Mae, Jay's friend who accompanied him to Tenerife for the NRG music festival, recounted that he had spent the evening with acquaintances he had made during the holiday.
Read more: Jay Slater missing LIVE: Fresh begins in Tenerife after call for expert volunteers to help
She detailed receiving a call from Jay around 8:15 am on that Monday, indicating he had missed his bus and was attempting to navigate his way back on foot, though he mentioned being disoriented, in need of water, and having only 1% battery left on his mobile. Subsequently, communication was lost, and Jay's phone last registered at Rural de Teno park, a region known for its hiking trails.
Jay's father, Warren, aged 58, and his elder sibling Zak were present at the search site on Saturday. Despite being estranged, Warren maintains amicable relations with Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, who is 55, reports the Mirror.
Warren shared his thoughts on the current search efforts, expressing: "It's a bit disappointing that there are no British apart from [British TikTokker] Paul, but I suppose to them he's just a British lad who's come out here and got drunk."
He continued to express his gratitude towards those participating in the search, highlighting the perilous nature of the terrain and addressing criticism: "I'm grateful to those who have come out here because you can see just how dangerous it is and what gets me is the trollers who are having a go at us for not searching."
Warren elaborated on the challenges faced by the family and their reliance on professional search teams: "It's not the local park, these are big mountains, the terrain is dangerous, put yourself in our position would you go out in these conditions? It's tough, it's hard, we are leaving it to the professionals and I'm grateful for those who have turned out today and I want to thank them for what they are doing."
Warren added: "We just still can't believe it; it's been so tough on us, and I want people to think about us as parents and what we are going through. All those trollers having a go at us, they don't know how we feel, why don't they come up here and have a look and see for themselves how dangerous it is."
"I've come up here now myself because I wanted to have a look about with Zak and to thank those who are up here and have given their time. I just didn't think this would go on for so long, I dropped his mum and brother off at the airport and thought they would be back in a few days."
"I just thought he's gone out had a drink and ended up at some girl's place as we all did when we were younger, he's our youngest I just want him home."
Warren's words come as the Spanish cop leading the mountain search for missing Jay Slater declared that the two British men who put the vanished teen up the night before he disappeared are "of no relevance" to the police investigation.
Cipriano Martin, head of the Civil Guard's Greim mountain rescue unit, said: "Those men have been spoken to and they don't have any relevance whatsoever for the case." Asked whether Jay's family will take part in today's search, he said: "All week they've been participating because we've seen them and they've seen us in several places. They've been actively participating."
Police are also now reportedly probing claims of a nightclub scuffle over a stolen Rolex in the hours before the teenager vanished. A fight broke out outside Papagayo Beach Club - where Jay was pictured partying - and it involved a man who claimed his Rolex watch had been stolen, it's been claimed.
