The family and friends of a teenager who has gone missing in Tenerife said they ‘have never been so worried’.
Jay Slater, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, travelled to the Canary Island for a musical festival with pal Lucy and another friend. But the 19-year-old has now been reported missing after he went to stay with people he had met on the holiday after a night out.
Their apartment was ‘in the middle of nowhere’, Lucy told the Manchester Evening News. She said he would ‘not have realised’ how far away it was from where they were staying.
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Yesterday morning (June 17), Jay called Lucy to say he was trying to walk back after not being able to catch a bus. He told her his phone battery was on 1 per cent, that he needed a drink of water and ‘didn’t know where he was’, Lucy said.
His phone then died with his last location showing as being in ‘the middle of mountains with nothing around’. The location is in the Rural de Teno Park – or the National Park of Teno – which is popular with hikers.
The closest town is Santiago del Teide. Lucy said she is now frantically searching for her friend on the island.
She said she has made several reports to local police in Tenerife and has also been in touch with the British Embassy. Jay’s mum is also on the way to Tenerife, she added.
Speaking to the M.E.N about Jay’s disappearance, she said: “He’s gone on a night out, he’s gone to a friend’s house, someone that he has met on holiday. One of the people he has met has hired a car out of here, so he’s driven them back to his apartment and Jay has gone there not realising how far away it is.
“He’s ended up out in the middle of nowhere. Jay was obviously thinking he would be able to get home from there.
“But then in the morning he’s set off walking, using his Maps on his phone and ended up in the middle of mountains with nothing around. He rang me at about 8 o’clock morning saying his phone was on 1 per cent, he said ‘I don’t know where I am, I need a drink and my phone is about to die’.”
She said police said they had sent mountain rescue out to the area yesterday. She has spoken to the people who Jay was staying with, who said he had left their apartment at around 8am yesterday to ‘catch a bus’.
“I’ve never been so worried in my life. I was there all yesterday, a lovely lady messaged me on Facebook and said she had hired a car and would drive me up there”, Lucy added.
“We were there all of yesterday, we were driving around looking around everywhere, looking in all the nooks and crannies.”
Jay was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with shorts and trainers. He was also believed to be carrying a black bag.
The M.E.N has contacted the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office about Jay’s disappearance.
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William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
