Jay Slater's family ‘drained beyond words’ as search enters fifth day

The family and friends of a British teenager who went missing during a holiday in Tenerife are “drained beyond words” as the search for him entered its fifth day.

Helicopters, rescue dogs and drones have been used during the hunt for 19-year-old Jay Slater, who was last heard from when he called his friend Lucy Law on Monday morning.

Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared after an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus.

In a post on the Facebook page “Jay Slater Missing”, the administrator of the group Rachel Louise Harg said family and friends of Mr Slater were in a “living nightmare”.

Jay Slater is missing in Tenerife Handout

She said: “There isn’t an update for anyone unfortunately.

“Struggling to find words at this time but all I can say is we are looking still and everyone is doing all they can.

“We are drained beyond words – I just can’t say no more, I wish I could.

“I wish this would end now, this living nightmare.

“Searches are ongoing and we remain positive.

“Thanks to you all supporting and helping we can’t thank you any more, much love.”

On Friday, search and rescue personnel joined officers from the island’s Guardia Civil near the village of Masca where they appeared to focus on a specific area of overgrown terrain.

Some officers used binoculars to survey the landscape before heading towards the bottom of the hillside.

Search teams paid close attention to a river called Barranco Madre del Agua at the bottom of a ravine, where personnel with sticks carefully searched through fallen dead palm trees.

On Thursday, a helicopter flew over Rural de Teno park in the south of the Spanish island as search teams followed various footpaths in the area.

Footage released by the Guardia Civil on Thursday showed the views from the helicopter as it scoured the hillside.

The video, posted to the force’s X account, showed officers searching in bushes and overgrown terrain with dogs.

The walk from Mr Slater’s last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

The search area was quiet on Friday, with only a handful of police cars stationed at Rural de Teno park.

Ms Law, who attended the NRG music festival with Mr Slater, said he called her at about 8.30am on Monday and told her he was “lost in the mountains, he wasn’t aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on 1%”.

Mr Slater’s mother, Debbie Duncan, who flew to Tenerife on Tuesday, said searching for her son was “an absolute living nightmare”.

Ms Duncan told ITV News: “He’s the life and soul, he’s a beautiful boy.”

Mr Slater was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with shorts and trainers and a black bag.

A fundraiser set up by Ms Law to “get Jay Slater home” has since received more than £23,500 in donations.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”