Spanish police have returned to search the Airbnb where Jay Slater, a 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, UK, spent time in the early morning hours of June 17, with two older British men he had met on his vacation, before he went missing in Tenerife more than two weeks ago.
Slater, an apprentice bricklayer, attended a rave in Playa de las Americas on June 16 with friends. He was last seen at a remote cottage in the village of Masca after the rave.
According to reports, Slater and his friends went to the New Rave Generation music festival, which ran into the early hours of June 17. After the rave, Slater left with the two older British men and went with them in a car headed to Casa Abuela Tina, a two-bedroom Airbnb property in Masca. Slater posted two pictures from the property on Snapchat around 7:30 a.m. before leaving on foot.
Slater was seen at a bus stop at around 8:00 a.m., reportedly attempting to make his way back to his accommodation in Playa de las Americas, more than 22 miles away. He asked a cafe owner for information about the bus. Ofelia Medina Hernandez told the teenager that a bus was scheduled for 10 a.m. However, he decided to start walking, and she later saw him “walking quickly” as she drove by.
That morning, Slater called his friend that he was staying with in Tenerife, Brad Hargreaves, sounding disoriented and asking for directions. He mentioned he had missed the bus and was trying to find his way back with low phone battery and no water. Brad said the journey back was a 14-hour walk according to his phone’s location services. Brad suggested he take a 15-minute taxi.
Hargreaves says he may have been one of the last people to speak with Slater before he vanished. During an emotional interview on ITV’s This Morning, Hargreaves shared details of their final phone call. He recalled hearing what sounded like Slater walking on rocky terrain, mentioning he needed to go down a certain road. The call ended abruptly when he said he had another incoming call and promised to phone back, but never did. Hargreaves spoke fondly of his friend, describing his enthusiasm for life. Crime reporter Isla Traquair conducted the interview with Hargreaves, who provided these potentially crucial details about Slater’s last known moments.
At approximately 8:30 a.m., Slater informed another friend he was traveling with, Lucy Law, via a phone call that he was walking back to his accommodation after missing the bus. He mentioned to Law that his phone battery was down to 1%, which meant he wouldn’t have been able to call a taxi if he got lost, and that he was tired.
Law told Sky News that Slater “is not a foolish boy” and would have tried to flag down a passing car if he had seen one.
Friends and family became concerned when Slater failed to return to his accomodations and did not respond to further messages.
Located in a rugged, isolated, and hilly region, Masca’s temperature was approximately 26 C (about 79 F), making Slater’s walk back to his lodging on foot quite challenging.
Teams organized by the Spanish police, the Guardia Civil, conducted an extensive 12-day search operation, employing helicopters, drones, and search dogs to comb through mountainous regions.
Police had previously called off their search on June 30 but returned to the Airbnb property, spending nearly two hours inside. A local resident noted, “They got the key from the owner. I thought it had already been searched, but I don’t know for sure. It’s been taken off the market and not available to book, that’s all I know.”
The renewed search at the property raises questions about how the investigation is being handled. Slater’s mother, Debbie Slater, has urged the police to continue their investigation. A family source mentioned, “The family wants to be sure the police aren’t giving up on Jay. They are in constant contact with them about the case.”
The teen’s father, Warren, and brother, Zak, have also been in contact with Spanish police to ensure the investigation continues. The family has been left “blindsided” by the initial decision to call off the search. Debbie Slater expressed her concerns to MailOnline, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to find her son.
The involvement of amateur sleuths has added a new dimension to the search. Paul Arnott, an amateur mountaineer and TikTok user, has been assisting Slater’s family since the police wound down their investigation. He told MailOnline, “I’ve done a bit of hiking and mountaineering and wanted to help out the family. They are desperate to find their lad, and with my background, I thought I could do my bit.”
Chris Pennington, a former British Army reservist who now lives in Tenerife, discovered sunglasses that looked like ones Slater had been wearing. Pennington described the situation, stating, “I parked up near the viewpoint near where the phone last pinged and found them on the ground near some bushes in the area they have been searching. I don’t know if they are Jay’s, but as a duty of care, I picked them up and told the Guardia Civil about them.”
Pennington handed the sunglasses to the authorities and provided his DNA and fingerprints. He continued, “It must be awful for the family with the search scaling back, and they haven’t had any news for two weeks. I walked a bit further towards where they said his phone pinged, but it was a challenge to get through. It was impossible. You would have needed a machete to get through all that undergrowth, so if the phone pinged from there, it’s because someone threw it in there.”
Arnott has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the official search efforts. He believes the police have not thoroughly searched the area. “The police say they have searched everywhere, but I’m not happy with that. If they had searched everywhere, they would have found him, but they haven’t, and I’m convinced he is on that mountain,” he told MailOnline.
The case has garnered significant public attention, with over £46,000 ($58,374) raised through a GoFundMe campaign to aid in the search. TV detective Mark Williams-Thomas has urged the family to use the funds to hire expert searchers. Williams-Thomas suggested that professional investigators could offer a fresh perspective and explore new avenues that may have been overlooked.
Despite the official search being called off, the case remains open, and Spanish authorities have stated that they are examining all scenarios, including potential foul play. The two British men who were with Slater on the night he disappeared have been interviewed and identified, but police initially stated that they have “no relevance” to the investigation. The two reportedly checked out of their Airbnb on June 17th and left Tenerife.
As the search continues, Slater’s family remains hopeful. The community in Oswaldtwistle has been actively involved, organizing vigils and sharing updates on social media. The international media attention has also played a crucial role in keeping the case in the public eye.
Arnott plans to continue his search efforts, focusing on areas that he believes have not been adequately explored. He has been sharing updates on TikTok and has received support from Slater’s family. “They just want to find Jay, and I want to help them,” Arnott said.
The investigation is ongoing, and any new information or tips are being followed up by Spanish authorities. The family continues to urge anyone with information to come forward to aid in the search for Jay Slater.
