Jay Slater's family 'completely broken' and 'still holding out hope' of finding teenager in Tenerife

The family of missing teenager Jay Slater say they are “completely broken” as the search continues in Tenerife for a tenth day with no clues to shed light on his disappearance.

The 19-year-old has not been heard from since last Monday morning, when he contacted a friend shortly after 8 a.m. to say he was lost in Teno Rural Park and only had one percent of phone battery.

Former detective Mark Williams-Thomas has now flown from the UK after offering help to the family, as Spanish police and sniffer dogs continue to comb the mountainous region in the north of the island.

Speaking to journalists in Costa Adeje, the TV investigator said the apprentice mason's family was “very close-knit” and focused on their mission to discover Mr Slater's whereabouts.

“They still live in hope that Jay will come back and he's not safe, but still alive. They have done research themselves and published photos and posters and, of course, they are responding to as many requests as possible,” he said.

Since he was reported missing at 9am on June 17, several family friends and Mr Slater's ex-girlfriend have flown to the Canary Islands to help with the search, while his father has was seen pinning up posters in the town of Santiago del Tiete.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Warren Slater said: “It’s hell. Unless you experience it, you can't explain it. Please, please, if anyone knows anything, come and help us.

Criticising the abuse the family had suffered on social media, Mr Mark-Williams said: “This is unacceptable. You have a young boy who has gone missing and the family deserve respect. I urge anyone using social media to think before they post.

Conspiracy theorists and internet trolls created a separate Facebook page which was flooded with wild ideas about why he disappeared, while his family even received phone calls from people claiming to be holding the teenager hostage .

Mr Williams-Thomas also urged anyone who may have information to come forward. He told reporters: “It's about finding Jay and we need as many people as possible to get involved, and I'm emphasizing as another appeal… There are people here who know more.”

“There are people here who have information that they saw Jay, who had contact with him while he was here. If you were at these clubs that evening or in the early hours of the morning, please come forward. »

After attending the NRG music festival in Playa de Las Americas in the south, Mr Slater traveled early in the morning to the rural village of Masca, about 37km away, after meeting two men during the weekend.

Since leaving Surrey Police in 2000, Mr Williams-Thomas has investigated a number of high-profile cases, including pedophile Jimmy Savile and the case of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Last year he was also involved in the disappearance of mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, and it later emerged she had fallen into the River Wyre in Lancashire and drowned.