The case of Jay Slater, a British teenager who went missing in Tenerife, has garnered significant attention and concern online. As the days pass with no sign of him, the urgency of the search efforts continues to grow. Authorities along with volunteers and the local community are tirelessly searching through the area, hoping to find any clues that might lead to his whereabouts.
Here’s a complete look at what happened to Jay Slater and the current status of his disappearance.
Is Jay Slater still missing?
As of the time of writing, Jay Slater is still missing.
According to the BBC, Slater attended the NRG music festival with friends at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas, a resort in southern Tenerife, on June 16. The following morning, he lodged in an apartment in the north of the island with people he had met that night.
In the morning, Slater posted on Snapchat and tagged as being in Rural de Teno Park. An hour later, he called his friend, Lucy Law, explaining that he had tried to walk back to his accommodation after missing his bus. During the call, Slater said he had “cut his leg” on a cactus and had “no idea where he was.” Law recalled that Jay sounded disoriented during the call. Slater said he was “lost in the mountains, unaware of his surroundings, desperately needing a drink, and his phone was on 1%.” Shortly after, his phone battery died, with his last known location being in Rural de Teno Park. As per the BBC’s report, he was officially reported missing on the same day.
On June 18, local police and mountain rescue teams began searching Rural de Teno Park. His family also flew out to Tenerife to join the search. Rescue personnel started searching around the hillside near a rental property Slater was seen at. The property owner mentioned she saw Slater walk up the road past her property but did not see him again.
On June 22, Jay’s mother issued a direct plea to her missing son on the sixth day of the search. She said, “We just need you home.” By June 24, Jay Slater has been missing for eight days. The Guardian reported that police cars were seen at the last known location of the teenager’s mobile phone. Recently, officials confirmed that they have intensified the search by bringing in new resources, including sniffer dogs.