Search for missing British teenager on holiday in Tenerife

Spanish police are searching for a British teenager who went missing while on holiday in Tenerife.

Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on Monday morning as he told a friend he planned to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus, a journey which should take around 11 hours on foot.

His friend Lucy – who had gone to the island with him to attend the NRG music festival – told the Manchester Evening News (MEN) that Mr Slater had gone to stay with people he had met on holiday after a night out.

She said she received a call from Mr Slater on Monday at around 8.15am after he had missed the bus and was trying to walk home despite saying he was lost, had needed a glass of water and he only had 1% battery on his phone.

Mr Slater's phone then went dead, with his final location being Teno Rural Park – a mountainous area popular with hikers.

Lucy told the MEN that one of the people Mr Slater met drove them back to his apartment in a rental car and that the missing man did not realize how far away he was.

“He ended up in the middle of nowhere. Jay obviously thought he could go home from there,” she said.

“But in the morning he went for a walk, using his maps on his phone and found himself in the middle of the mountains with nothing around.”

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

He was also said to be carrying a black bag, the MEN reported.

Mr Slater's mother, Debbie, flew to Tenerife on Tuesday morning.

She told the Daily Mail: “I'm obviously beside myself and worried, which is why I flew here with my eldest son to do whatever we can to help.

“We're just praying that the police or someone finds Jay. I know there is a mountain rescue team and a helicopter.

“Nothing will ever be enough when your youngest son goes missing, but it seems the police here are taking this very seriously and doing their best.”

A spokeswoman for the Civil Guard in Tenerife told the Daily Mail that “everything possible” was being done to find Mr Slater.

“A specialized mountain rescue and intervention group, Greim, has been mobilized.

“A police helicopter is also on site and is focusing on the area around the village of Masca.

“Other emergency services, including firefighters, were also mobilized.

“Everything is being done to try to find the missing man.”

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man missing in Spain and are in contact with local authorities. »