A Tenerife local has issued a grim warning regarding the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater as the frantic mission to find him continues.
Jay went missing on June 17 after attending a rave in Playa de las Americas the night before in the southwest of the island, before leaving with two men and spending the night at their Airbnb in Rural de Teno park in the northwest.
Local woman Anita warned that people go missing in the Tenerife mountains “every summer” and it can take “months” for police to find anything.
She told The Independent: “We often have hikers go missing, every summer it is the same. Police come for a week and search and then they go – sometimes it can take months for a body to be found as the mountains are too difficult to search.
“People have said there was a sighting of him here, but no one knows anything – his family came here but there’s nothing to show he is here, as far as I know no shop or cafe has seen him.”
So far, the Civil Guard has been searching the treacherous areas around Masca in the northwest – where Jay was last seen leaving the Airbnb.
The owner of the property said they saw him walking away from it after he’s believed to have missed a bus back to Los Christianos in the south – where he was staying.
While attempting to make the 11-hour walk back, Jay phoned his friend Lucy Law in distress as he was in desperate need of water and to charge his phone. The call eventually cut out and no one has heard from him since.
The mammoth search that began following this phone call and missing persons report has to contend with deep ravines, sharp drops, and cacti.
Specialist canines have been brought in from Madrid, but the Civil Guard previously rejected the help of the Lancashire Constabulary.
In the wake of his disappearance, Jay’s friend Lucy set up a GoFundMe to raise money to “bring him home”, which has so far amassed over £37,000 in donations.
Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan announced today that she would be withdrawing £36,000. She wrote an update under the fundraiser: “I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay.
“Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.
“I’m surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we’ll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times.”