Jay Slater missing - latest: Mother provides GoFundMe update as family search in ‘treacherous’ gorge
Investigation into Jay Slater’s disappearance in Tenerife continues
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Jay Slater’s mother has provided an update on the fundraising page for the missing teenager, as his family continue their search for him in a “treacherous” gorge.
The search for the apprentice bricklayer is heading into its fourth week after he vanished in Tenerife’s Rural de Teno park on Monday June 17.
The case captured the attention of the nation, with over £50,000 being donated to the 19-year-old’s family, who have flown out to continue searching for him - despite authorities culling the official search a week ago.
His mother, Debbie Duncan, said they have been “overwhelmed” by the support as she issued an update on the GoFundMe.
She said local volunteer groups had offered to continue searching and that they are also in contact with “experienced groups” who have offered assistance.
Jay’s uncle, father and brother scoured an area close to the last location Jay’s phone ‘pinged’ on Saturday.
They were joined by local hiker Juan Garcia on Saturday who said the area was a “labyrinth” and that the operation was “like looking for a needle in a haystack”.
TikToker lived off Doritos while scouring the mountains of Tenerife searching for missing Jay Slater
Jay Slater could still be alive ‘drinking rainwater and eating plants’, detective says
Jay Slater: Everything we know about the Briton missing in Tenerife
Jay Slater’s mother reveals ‘agony’ in new statement after police end search for missing teenager
‘We don’t need hikers, we need experts’ - Jay Slater’s mother
Jay Slater’s mother was asked about the efforts of TikToker and keen hiker, Callum Fahim, who has been out searching on the island for any trace of the 19-year-old.
He attracted international attention when Mr Slater’s mother, Debbie Duncan, named him as one of the people she would be giving some money from the GoFundMe donations to.
But speaking to Sky News, Ms Duncan said they wanted to save the funds to pay for specialist search and rescue teams likely to cost thousands of pounds.
She said: “We appreciate every single person who’s come out. He’s a hiker. We don’t need hikers, we need experts.”
Jay Slater could still be alive surviving off ‘rainwater and plants’, private investigator suggests
A private investigator has urged Jay Slater’s family “not to give up hope” as he suggests he could still be alive drinking “rainwater” and eating “plants”.
Juan García, an army reservist and private investigator, says he has been in touch with Jay Slater’s family and told The Times: “Two weeks is too premature to end the search.
“[Slater] could be alive somewhere — someone can drink from rainwater and eat plants. The family should not give up hope.”
Mystery surrounding ‘Jonny Vegas’ character continues
Mystery has continued to surround the two men staying at the AirBnb that Jay Slater visited before going missing.
Jay returned to the AirBnb in the early hours of the morning on the day he went missing with two men he had met in Tenerife. He left the holiday accommodation at around 7:30am and, after missing a bus back to where he was staying, went missing while embarking on an 11 hour hike.
One of the men staying at the AirBnb has been confirmed as Mr Qassim, who previously told the MailOnline that Jay left the property “alive” and well.
The other man was thought to be an unidentified man with the elusive nickname ‘Jonny Vegas’.
However, a TV-detective investigating Jay Slater’s disappearance has claimed the mysterious ‘Jonny Vegas’ character is Ayub Qassim himself.
Mark Williams-Thomas claims he has spoken to Mr Qassim who reportedly confirmed it was his own nickname.
He told The Mail Online: “We know the two men that took Jay back to their rental apartment were key people to speak to.
“And as a result, I’ve now spoken in some detail to one of these men, Ayub Qassim, who is known as Johnny Vegas.”
The detective - who flew out to Tenerife to conduct his own investigation - also said: “And I’ve also identified the other male who was with him, but I’ve not yet spoken to him”.
Qassim has not commented on the Mail’s report.
Debbie Duncan’s full GoFundMe statement
“Hello everyone, I wanted to give you all an update on our continued efforts to find our Jay. “We have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support we have received and would like to thank the local hiking group for all of their help planning the routes to find our Jay. We have been contacted by a wonderful group of locals who have volunteered to continue the search. While they don’t wish to accept financial help for their search, we will be supporting them with supplies and are so grateful for their willingness to help. “We also continue to be contacted by experienced groups offering to support our search. We are busy talking to them about what they can do to assist. But in order for us to employ their help, they need to have permission from the Spanish authorities. “We will be sure to keep you all updated on our progress and are so grateful for your continued support to bring our boy home. Please keep sharing and supporting our fundraiser however you can.”
Jay’s family describe ‘treacherous’ terrain search is now focused on
Jay Slater’s family have described the incredibly challenging terrain in which they have resumed the search for the missing 19-year-old in Tenerife.
Jay’s father, brother and uncle were joined by a small group of volunteers on Saturday as they searched a ‘treacherous’ gorge for the apprentice bricklayer.
His uncle, Glen Duncan, described moments where he himself was “just trying to find my own way out to safety,” rather than looking for Jay.
He told the Manchester Evening News: “It’s so easy to get lost down there. There was a group of us and you can’t see anybody. It got to a point where I wasn’t even looking for my nephew, I was just trying to find my own way out to safety.”
Jay Slater’s mother provides GoFundMe update
Jay Slater’s mother, Debbie Duncan, said they have been “overwhelmed” by the support as she issued an update on the family’s GoFundMe.
She said local volunteer groups had offered to continue searching and that they are also in contact with “experienced groups” who have offered assistance.
Over £51,000 has been donated to the fundraiser so far.
We have been contacted by a wonderful group of locals who have volunteered to continue the search,” she said.
“While they don’t wish to accept financial help for their search, we will be supporting them with supplies and are so grateful for their willingness to help. “We also continue to be contacted by experienced groups offering to support our search. We are busy talking to them about what they can do to assist. But in order for us to employ their help, they need to have permission from the Spanish authorities.”
The Guardia Civil told SkyNews that external search groups could come and help “without any problem” but must notify authorities for “good management of information and resources”.
They said they have not yet received a request.
Phone could have been ‘thrown’ into bushes - report
A journalist covering the Jay Slater search in Tenerife has said police are considering the possibility his phone was “thrown” into undergrowth.
Although the official search for the 19-year-old was culled by authorities a week ago, his family and a small group of volunteers have continued to scour the area his phone last ‘pinged’ to.
Journalist Nick Pisa said that a former army officer told him that the last known location was “rather surprising because it was really steep to get to, and it was covered in undergrowth and cacti.”
He told GB News: “He said to get there you’d have to need a machete. Or he suggested, someone had thrown the phone into that growth.”
Jay Slater’s family ‘not going anywhere’ as they continue search in ‘treacherous gorge’
Jay Slater’s family have continued their search for the missing teenager in a ‘treacherous’ gorge as they vow to remain in Tenerife.
Spanish authorities culled their search last Sunday after 13 days of searching for the apprentice bricklayer in the Rural de Teno park.
However, his family and a few volunteers have remained on the island as they continue to scour near the last location Jay’s phone was tracked to.
Jay’s uncle, father and brother were joined by local hiker Juan Garcia on Saturday who said the area was a “labyrinth” and that the operation was “like looking for a needle in a haystack”.
Asked how the family are coping, Jay’s uncle told SkyNews: “It’s just torture.”
TikToker lived off Doritos while scouring the mountains of Tenerife searching for missing Jay Slater
A TikToker flew back to London following his two-week search of Tenerife for missing Jay Slater because he claimed he no longer felt safe on the party island.
But sick trolls were waiting for Callum Fahim as he touched down in the capital on Thursday after tracking his flight number from his livestreams online.
The keen hiker flew out to the Spanish island to help in the hunt for the 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire who vanished after a night out on holiday, in a case which has gripped the world.
Mr Fahim said the situation had become “horrific” after he received a terrifying cryptic warning on social media, which read: “Be careful people are going to find you at the airport take extra care. He said he would love to get hold of you.”
My colleague Barney Davis has the full story:
TikToker lived off Doritos while scouring Tenerife searching for missing Jay Slater
Callum Fahim said he has barely slept and lived off Doritos and Appletisers as he searched for Jay Slater over the past fortnight
Lucy Law shares new photo of missing Jay Slater
Jay Slater’s friend, Lucy Law, has shared a new image of the pair as the investigation into the teenager’s disappearance nears the three-week mark.
Lucy is thought to be the last person to have spoken to Jay, shared an image of them both to her Instagram with a tearful emoji and heart.
The Lancashire apprentice bricklayer called Lucy at around 8:50am when he told her he was lost in the Rural de Teno park, needed a drink of water and his phone was on one per cent battery.
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