Jay Slater: 'Massive search' for missing teen set to begin nearly two weeks after 19-year-old vanished

A “massive search” for British teenager Jay Slater will begin today in Tenerife, almost two weeks after the apprentice mason went missing.

The Civil Guard announced that it would intensify its search for the 19-year-old, after calling on volunteer associations, such as firefighters, and individual volunteers with experience in navigating difficult terrain to help them.

Police and volunteers will begin their search at 9 a.m. in the village of Masca, near Mr Slaterlast known location and attempt to retrace his last known steps.

In a statement, police said: “The mass search will be conducted on Saturday, June 29, starting at 9am.

“Considering that it is a steep, rocky area, full of unevenness and comprising a multitude of ravines, trails and roads, the collaboration of all the volunteer associations that can help with this raid which will take place in A directed and coordinated manner is required.

Sky correspondent in the North of England Shingi Mararike in Tenerife said the search “perhaps constitutes a last effort by the Civil Guard to make progress.”

Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, went missing after trying to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus on Monday last week.

He was last photographed at Papayago, the nightclub hosting the end of the New Rave Generation festival, late on the evening of June 16.

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Slater as seen by the cafe owner

After the event ended, he got into a car with two men, driving to a small Airbnb in Masca, where a local cafe owner told Sky News he tried to catch a bus return to Los Cristianos, where he resided.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez said she saw him at 8 a.m. on June 17 and added: “He asked twice what time the bus was coming.

“He came back and asked me again, and I told him again, at 10 o'clock. Later, I got in my car and saw him, he was walking fast, but I didn't see him again after that.”

She said he was walking in the wrong direction.

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Last phone call

It comes after one of Mr Slater's friends spoke to ITV's This Morning about his final video call with the 19-year-old.

Brad Hargreaves claims to have seen missing teenager's feet slide on rocks in a call around 8:30 a.m., saying that was how he knew Mr. Slater was not on a road.

He then said Mr Slater had lost a “little drop” during one of his last video calls, and added: “He said, 'look where I am'.

“He didn't seem concerned on the phone until we found out how far away he was. I said, 'Give us your location.' He said, '15 minutes' drive, 14 hours' walk.'

“I don't know if that's true or not, so I said, 'It's only a 15-minute drive, take a taxi.'”

Search teams coordinated by the Civil Guard have since launched a massive manhunt using helicopters, drones and search dogs to scour the mountainous areas of the island, but have yet to find the teenager.

(c) Sky News 2024: Jay Slater: 'Massive search' for missing teenager set to begin in almost two weeks