A search for a missing teenager is underway in Tenerife after he went missing on the island moments after informing his friends he was lost.
Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, UK, has been reported missing while vacationing with friends in Tenerife, Spain.
According to reports, Jay was last heard from around 8:15AM GMT on Monday (June 17).
The Foreign Office has confirmed its involvement in assisting the family during this distressing time, The Independent reports.
Jay had traveled to the Canary Island for the NRG music festival along with his friend Lucy and another companion. However, after a night out, he opted to stay with individuals he had met, rather than returning to their shared apartment.
On Monday morning, Lucy received a troubling call from Jay, indicating that he was attempting to walk back to their accommodations after being unable to catch a bus home.
He mentioned being in need of water, with his phone battery critically low at 1 percent, and expressed uncertainty about his location. His last tracked position placed him in the Rural de Teno Park, a remote area known for hiking, located in the northwest part of the island.
Lucy recounted Jay's distressing situation to the Manchester Evening News, explaining: "He rang me at about 8 o’clock in the morning saying his phone was on 1 percent, he said ‘I don’t know where I am, I need a drink and my phone is about to die.’”
Since the call, there has been no further contact with Jay, and his mother has reportedly traveled to Tenerife.
Friend Lucy later told the BBC that she had spent all of Tuesday looking for Jay. "The area is so big."
Search dogs and mountain rescue teams have now joined the search for the missing teen.
Andy Watson, Jay's stepfather, has revealed how he fears his son may have taken the wrong turn during his trek home.
Speaking outside the family's home, Watson told The Sun: "It's really worrying. It feels like a blur at the moment. Jay is very street wise and he's no mug but if it's it was dark and he had no touch on his phone he could have gone the wrong way and become more lost than he was."
Watson has added that the family was informed of Jay's disappearance by police at 2:30AM on Tuesday (June 18). Authorities apparently told Jay's mom, Debbie Duncan, that it was best if she flew out to Tenerife as fast as possible.
This was Jay's first vacation without his parents.
A Timeline of Jay Slater's Disappearance:
Sunday evening, June 16: Jay spends the evening with friends but decides to stay out longer and joins other acquaintances, one of whom has a rental car.
8:35PM: Jay appears in the last Snapchat video before his disappearance, dressed in a grey t-shirt with green trim.
Monday, June 17, 8:15AM: Jay calls his friend Lucy, informing her that he is lost in a remote area, thirsty, and his phone battery is at 1%. He explains that he missed the bus back and is trying to navigate using a maps app on his phone.
8:50AM: Jay's phone battery dies.
9:04AM: Local authorities in Tenerife are notified about Jay's disappearance.
Tuesday, 2:00AM: Police officers inform Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, and stepfather, Andy Watson, about his disappearance when they visit their home.
Tuesday, 11:35AM: Debbie Duncan and Jay's brother Zak arrive in Tenerife after boarding the earliest available flight.
The friends had traveled to Tenerife for the NRG music festival, which included various events such as beach and boat parties, as well as day and night raves at undisclosed locations.
A spokesperson from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office has stated: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”
The search for Jay is set to continue on Wednesday morning.
