by Jay Slater’s family say they are “holding out hope” for the teenager’s return as they launch another search today (July 6).
His father, Warren, and his brother Zak joined a band of 10 volunteers, who combed the mountainous terrain in Tenerife where the 19-year-old disappeared. The group endured several hours in scorching 25C temperatures as they searched the valley near the village of Masca.
Glen Duncan, the teenager’s uncle, also took part in the search for the youngster, who has been missing for almost three weeks now. Labeling each passing day as “straight torture”, he revealed the desperate wait for any news.
READ MORE: Jay Slater missing in Tenerife LIVE updates as new theory emerges and mother issues new statement
He said: “We have just been out with some Spanish volunteers. They have gone through it on foot and with dogs, it is clear that there are search areas with helicopters and drones. For me, it is not here. That’s what I get the sense of.”
Mr Duncan mentioned the limited contact they had with the local authorities: “Who knows what the police are doing here, who knows? They’re not really in touch, it’s a bit scary. They don’t give any thing away. I was next to Jay. reports the Mirror.
“We still hope – we have to because we don’t know. It hasn’t been found so you have to cling to it. I’m sure Madeleine McCann’s parents are still clinging to that hope, that she’s out there somewhere. other side of the world 20 years later She was never found and there is no proof of whatever happened to her It’s so freaking beneath me .
“It’s so easy to get lost there. We had a group and you can’t see anyone. It got to the point where I wasn’t even looking for my nephew, I was just trying to find my own way out. to safety. If it’s lost I can’t see how he would walk all the way down there.
Speaking about the online trolls who spread sick rumours, Mr Duncan said: “I’m not on social media or anything like that so I can block it. It’s the world we live in. If it’s gone on path like this and it’s lost or dropped I think it would have been found by now I’m thinking of third party involvement from the beginning There’s just some stuff that was already out there They’re down on the strip, you know what it’s like down there.
“There are millions of apartments and hotels down there in Los Cristianos and Las Americas. Right, that’s just suspicious in itself. Then apparently someone who was found came out and said he came alive and left alive. Yes that line in itself is suspicious. Since he has come out and said that he has left all his friends and had nowhere to go, he was 10 minutes from his apartment in Los Cristianos It is not stupid If he did not have a room key he could have gone reception for a replacement.
“I don’t know what the police are really doing. I don’t know if they are following up every single lead. I think I marched down there myself and burst into the police station. What are they doing in seriously now, the police, I mean aren’t they searching with the helicopter are they doing door to door inquiries or sitting there looking at CCTV images?”
Mr Duncan also questioned why the Spanish police ruled that the two Airbnb men were not involved so soon: “It bothered me from day one. I can’t get my head around one of them either – you don’t want to give them a hammer.
“We have to keep a good relationship. That’s why it’s so awkward I want to keep it out there. We have 10 out today. I don’t know how long we’re going to be out here for . As long as Debbie and Warren aren’t going anywhere.”
Mr Duncan added: “Jay was a typical 19-year-old, and he was so family-oriented. He was great with my two daughters, which not many 19-year-olds are.
“It’s just torture every day. It’s gotten to a point now where the sadness is gone and there’s just anger.”
Mr Duncan also mentioned that there had been little contact recently with Jay’s friend Lucy Law – the last person known to have spoken to him. Rachel Hargreaves, a tired family friend, shared: “We’re looking for him, we can’t find him, we can’t find him. I’m here supporting the family, trying to find Jay as best we can.”
Apprentice bricklayer Jay, who is from Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, left for the Spanish island on June 17. The last sight he knew was when he left his Airbnb near the village of Masca at around 8am.
The young man, who was on holiday with friends Lucy, 18, and Brad Hargreaves, 19, had earlier been enjoying themselves at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas. After the party, he left with two British men to return to his accommodation.
In efforts to support Jay’s family in their search, a GoFundMe page has been set up and has since surpassed £50,000.
Jay’s friend Brad has fiercely denied spreading rumors online, insisting “we’re not drug mules”. The trio, including Jay and Lucy, traveled to the island for the three-day NRG music festival.
Brad took to Instagram to defend his innocence: “I think I have something to do with it all being longer than me. We’ve been colleagues for years, we came on our first holiday together and unfortunately this happened. We don’t promote drugs or whatever…. people know the facts before they talk s*** on the internet.”
Lucy, who was the last person known to have spoken to Jay before he passed away on June 17, posted an emotional tribute with a photo of them together, along with a crying emoji. The Airbnb where Jay was last seen was being rented out by Ayub Qassim, a convicted drug dealer.
Qassim said: “I let the geezer stay with me because he had nowhere else to go. He had left all his friends. I know Jay, my friends, I’m not going to bring someone back to me if I don’t bring him. I know them.
Qassim added: “The only comment I have to make is that Jay came to the house alive, and left the house alive.”
Despite extensive efforts, the search by the Spanish authorities came to an end last weekend after 14 days.
