Today has been described as a "key day" in the search for Jay Slater, as the search for the missing teen enters its fourth day.
Slater, a 19-year-old who was reported missing in Tenerife on Monday, had been vacationing with friends on the Spanish island while attending the NRG music festival.
Jay's friend, Lucy Mae Law, says she then received a concerning call from him around 8:15AM on Monday after Jay had decided to continue the evening with people he had met on their night out.
She recalled to the Manchester Evening News: "[Jay] 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.'"
He was reported missing shortly after, and his mother and brother flew to Tenerife on Tuesday morning to join the search efforts.
As the search intensifies, dozens of locals and volunteers have joined forces with local authorities, who are deploying search dogs, rescue teams, helicopters, and drones.
Efforts are focused on the mountainous area around Rural de Teno Park, where Jay was last known to be.
Clio O'Flynn, a Tenerife-based reporter, described Thursday as a "key day," saying: "It's the day they [the rescuers] want to have good news and say they've found Jay."
O'Flynn told Sky News: "If he's taken shelter, the hope is he's waiting for help to come along."
O'Flynn highlighted the challenges of the search, noting: "The problem will be 'does he have a phone signal? Will people be able to locate him? Can he hear their cries?'"
Authorities are "very, very keen to find this young man, for his sake and the sake of the island," she added.
O'Flynn described the area where Jay is believed to have gone missing as a "dry, arid part of the island," with volcanic terrain featuring "ravines and gullies."
She warned that there are "no lakes, rivers, or streams, so it would be quite hard for him to access fresh water."
Debbie Duncan, Jay's mother, has joined mountain rescuers and the local Civil Guard in the search for her son.
She described his disappearance as "an absolute living nightmare" and told ITV News: "I wouldn't wish this on anybody. I just want my baby back."
On Thursday morning, friend Lucy Mae provided an update on a Facebook page dedicated to finding Jay, stating: "Still no updates."
"When it reaches 8:30AM, it’s been 3 days. Tomorrow, we need as many people as possible up there searching for him, please," she continued
"We will be up there again first thing; however, a search party is going to be necessary to search everywhere as the area is very big. If you can help, please do; we need to get him home."
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