Authorities in Tenerife are growing increasingly concerned about the fate of 19-year-old Jay Slater, who disappeared 11 days ago. Continuing their intensive search, police have explained why the chances of finding him alive are slim.

Jay was last seen heading to Masca after attending a rave that ended in the early hours of June 17. He shared a final Snapchat from an Airbnb at 7:30AM before attempting to return to his holiday accommodation, an 11-hour walk away. 

At around 8:50AM, he made a desperate call to his friend Lucy, saying he was lost in the "middle of nowhere" with no water and only one percent battery left on his phone.

The massive search operation, which includes helicopters, drones, and sniffer dogs, has so far yielded no results. Rescuers are concentrating their efforts on the 2,000-foot Masca ravine, where Jay's phone last connected to a cell tower.

The Civil Guard, leading the search near the village of Masca where Jay was last seen, remains committed to the effort. More sniffer dogs, trained for large-scale searches, have been brought in from Madrid to assist in the operation, which continues at full force.

A spokesperson stated: “The Civil Guard is continuing to search for the young British man who disappeared, carrying out inspections of all the paths, trails, and ravines belonging to the village of Masca within the municipality of Buenavista del Norte." 

They also released footage showing officers navigating the challenging terrain on foot, while others conducted aerial inspections by helicopter.

Per The Sun, an insider has explained why it is unlikely Jay will be found alive: “No one at the moment is talking about the search being brought to an end, even though it’s very unlikely Jay has survived if he got lost in the mountains in the way we were told he did. 

“There will be a point when the operation that’s taking place at the moment has to at least be scaled back, but right now the search teams appear to have decided they want to give themselves more time.”

Local resident Anita commented on the challenges of the search, warning that it can take "months" to find a missing person in Tenerife. She noted that tourists often vanish in the mountains, which are notoriously difficult to search.

This incident comes amid reports of a rising number of disappearances in Tenerife. Authorities were alerted two years ago about the need for better resources. Jay is one of 11 people who have gone missing in the area over the past six months.

Santiago Carlos Martín, coordinator of SOS Disappeared in Tenerife, highlighted the emotional toll on families, saying “families feel abandoned” during the search for their loved ones. 

Martín, who leads a team of around 40 volunteers, has called for multidisciplinary teams to be on standby to aid in searches. These teams would include police, emergency workers, health experts, psychologists, and other professionals to provide a comprehensive response.

According to data from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, between 2020 and 2023, at least 460 adults went missing in the Canary Islands, which has a population of just 2.2 million. This region has the second-highest number of missing persons in Spain, behind Andalucia.

Despite the daunting circumstances, Jay’s mother has praised the ongoing efforts of the search teams and urged the public to keep her son in their prayers. She told Sky News: "I have every faith in them down on the ground and the amazing searches they are carrying out along with more amazing guys up there. As a family we are in a living nightmare. We have no further updates other than Jay is still missing, and we are just ignoring the social media side of things."

Debbie announced this week she would be withdrawing some of the £36,000 raised through donations to support the ongoing search. She stated that the funds would be used to bring over loved ones and support the mountain rescue teams, as well as cover accommodation and food for her family. 

She wrote on the GoFundMe page: "We are currently working with GoFundMe to withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held. I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay."

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The family of four-year-old August “Gus” Lamont are holding on to hope that he is still alive, even as police scale back what has become one of the most intensive search operations in South Australia’s recent history.

Gus vanished from his family’s sprawling sheep station about 40 kilometers south of Yunta on September 27. He was last seen playing in a dirt mound near his grandparents’ homestead around 5:00PM, before disappearing without a trace just 30 minutes later, the Daily Mail reports.

Since then, the search for the boy (described by loved ones as “a shy but adventurous child”) has captured the attention and heartbreak of the entire country.

Volunteer doubts Gus is still on the property

Among those who joined the massive search effort was Jason O’Connell, a former State Emergency Service (SES) member who, alongside his partner Jen, covered more than 1,200 kilometers scouring the surrounding desert.

O’Connell said the couple took turns searching through the night, hoping that if Gus was sheltering from the scorching heat during the day, he might move under cover of darkness.

“Jen and I were the only ones searching nights, apart from Monday night when the father joined us,” O’Connell shared online. “We’d head home when the main search crews arrived through the day.”

Despite their efforts, which included sweeping the terrain with high-powered lights and watching for signs of wildlife activity, O’Connell admitted they found “nothing.”

“I personally am very doubtful he is on the property,” he said, adding that even a single footprint discovered early in the search now appears uncertain.

Police: ‘a four-year-old doesn’t disappear into thin air’

Police, emergency services, and the Australian Defence Force all took part in the multi-day operation. Teams used infrared drones, dogs, ATVs, and specialist divers to check nearby tanks and dams, yet the search yielded no definitive leads.

Superintendent Mark Syrus of the Yorke Mid North division told reporters the situation had become increasingly grim. “A four-year-old doesn’t disappear into thin air; he has to be somewhere,” Syrus said, according to PEOPLE. “Hopefully he’s hanging in there alive … but it’s a long time to be out in the elements.”

Authorities noted that while Gus was an energetic walker, he had never previously wandered off the property. The remote homestead, more than 25 kilometers from the nearest highway, made the likelihood of abduction “highly improbable.”

Police scale back search, family still hopeful

After nearly a week of searching under punishing Outback conditions, police officially ended the active rescue operation on Friday, The Sun details.

Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said investigators had found “no tangible pieces of evidence; no footprints, no clothing, no hat.”

“We’ve all been hoping for a miracle,” Parrott said. “But that miracle has not eventuated.”

The investigation has now been handed to South Australia Police’s Missing Persons Section, which typically manages long-term disappearance cases.

Still, Gus’s family refuse to give up. On Saturday, community group Leave A Light On Inc. urged residents across South Australia to switch on their porch lights in solidarity, a symbolic gesture so Gus could “find his way home," per 7 News.

A community united by hope

The disappearance of August Lamont has left the small Yunta community shaken but united. Volunteers, neighbors, and total strangers have continued to rally around the family, offering support and prayers as the investigation continues.

Even as search crews leave the property and the desert returns to its eerie quiet, one thing remains constant: Gus’s family are not ready to believe the worst. Their message is simple: until there is proof otherwise, hope is not lost.

Featured image credit: South Australia Police.

A 19-year-old surfer who vanished off a northern New South Wales beach has been found alive on a remote island after spending a night at sea on his longboard, in what his father has called a “one-in-a-million miracle”.

Darcy Deefholts had headed out to surf at One Tree, Wooli, on Wednesday, July 9, leaving home on his bike around 2:30PM, but never returned, per 7 News.

When his clothes, shoes, and bike were found at the beach while his phone and smartwatch were left at home, the alarm was raised, sparking a massive community search.

His father, Terry Deefholts, issued an emotional plea on Facebook as the search intensified, writing: “HELP – I NEED BOATS, BEACH WALKERS, DRONES AND 4WDs and PLANES AT FIRST LIGHT.”

He continued: “My boy Darcy is still missing. Marine Rescue searched tonight from Bare Point to Pebbly Beach at sea. They have been stood down for the night but expect they will be back early to resume the search.”

“I am asking anyone with a seaworthy vessel to please meet me at the main Wooli boat ramp and take me to sea to help with the search,” he added, sharing the family’s desperation.

“Of course we are fearing the worst. Please save comments for those wishing to help with the search. We are overwhelmed by the community efforts in the search so far. There is only one thing we want now – our beloved boy to be found safe.”

Marine Rescue NSW vessels and around six private boats joined the search early Thursday morning.

At approximately 9:00AM on July 10, rescuers found Darcy alive on the uninhabited North Solitary Island, located about eight miles (13km) offshore, after he had spent the night clinging to his surfboard.

“It’s kind of surreal. I was at the point of thinking the absolute worst,” Terry told the ABC after learning his son had been found alive. “I didn’t give up hope, but jeez I was close.”

He added: “It’s a one in a million. Who survives this?”

Family member Melissa Smith said: “He’d obviously gone out too far on his longboard and he couldn’t get back. He’s a survivor, a strong boy, he would have known that was a safe place I guess.”

Darcy’s dramatic rescue captured the hearts of the Wooli community, with Marine Rescue Wooli posting: “What a great community we have in Wooli … So often we search for missing persons with no result or a devastating result, and this one made our day!”

Rescue skipper Matthew McLennan added: “It’s rare that we ever get to participate in a search with an outcome such as this. It was really heartwarming to see how many community members jumped to the call.”

McLennan confirmed that Darcy was found “cold and suffering from a bit of exposure, but...uninjured.”

A spokesperson for the Northern NSW local health district confirmed Darcy was in stable condition under observation at Grafton Base Hospital.

“The patient is in good spirits and is being supported by family,” the spokesperson said.

“The family would like to thank emergency services and members of the community involved in the search, after the alarm was raised late yesterday when he failed to return home from a surf.”

Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray explained how the operation unfolded, stating: “A volunteer crew was rapidly assembled and Wooli 30 deployed. The crew searched waters from Bare Point in the north to Freshwater Beach in the south. Wooli 30 returned to base at 1AM after being stood down for the night.”

Crews resumed at 8:00AM the next day under the direction of Marine Area Command.

Only hours before Darcy was found, Terry had issued another update, saying: “Boats – need one to go straight to North West Solitary Island. That’s where they found a person last year that got washed up.”

His Facebook post calling for help was shared over 1,100 times, with community members flooding the family with messages of hope and support.

“We are overwhelmed by the community efforts in the search so far. There is only one thing we want now – our beloved boy to be found safe currently,” Terry wrote.

The story of Darcy’s rescue, after being swept kilometers out to sea and surviving the night alone on a surfboard, has left many calling it nothing short of miraculous. As Terry summed it up: “I haven’t had the chance to talk to him yet, I’m just so over the moon.”

Featured image credit: Facebook

A 14-year-old boy from Georgia, who was featured on Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries after disappearing seven years ago, has been found safe in Colorado.

Abdul Aziz Khan vanished from his Atlanta home on November 27, 2017, when he was just seven years old. Authorities had long suspected his mother, Rabia Khalid, of abducting him after she failed to appear for a scheduled custody hearing that same day, the Daily Mail reports.

The breakthrough in the case came on February 23, 2025, when deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office in Colorado responded to a burglary in progress in Highlands Ranch.

Upon arrival, they found Khalid, 40, and her husband, Elliot Blake Bourgeois, 42, inside a home listed for sale. The couple initially claimed they were associated with the realtors, but deputies quickly noticed inconsistencies in their story.

As officers investigated further, they discovered two children in a vehicle parked outside the home. One of them was identified as Abdul Aziz Khan, marking the end of a years-long search.

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly commended his deputies for their efforts, stating, “Their ability to recognize the discrepancies in the suspects' story and to follow the leads, even when the situation seemed unclear, ultimately led to the safe recovery of a child who had been missing for seven years.”

Aziz’s family, who had never given up hope, expressed their overwhelming relief upon learning he was safe. In a statement, they said, “We’re overwhelmed with joy that Aziz has been found and is finally coming home.”

Both children discovered at the scene were placed in protective custody while authorities worked to determine their future care.

Khalid and Bourgeois were arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including second-degree kidnapping, forgery, and identity theft. They are currently being held on a $1 million bond each and are set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on March 27, 2025.

This case highlights the crucial role media attention can play in missing persons investigations. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children emphasized how difficult it can be to garner public attention for family abduction cases but noted that national media coverage was instrumental in keeping Aziz’s case in the public eye.

Law enforcement officials praised the collaborative efforts that led to the teen’s safe recovery, ensuring that a years-long mystery has finally come to a close.

Featured image credit: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

The Spanish Civil Guard has revealed why it "discreetly" continued the search for Jay Slater despite publicly announcing the hunt had ended.

On Monday (July 15), almost a month after the 19-year-old went missing, human remains were discovered in the village of Masca, which was just a 20-minute walk from the last location where Slater's phone had pinged in Tenerife.

The following day, a spokesperson for the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands confirmed to Sky News and BBC News that the body found was the missing British teenager.

Officials identified the remains remains through fingerprint analysis. "We have a positive identification and more data: fingerprint tests show that the body is [that] of Jay Slater," a court spokesperson said.

A Civil Guard representative disclosed that the teen's injuries, including several broken bones, were consistent with a fall.

"The result of the preliminary autopsy points to the cause of death being a fall or plunge from height due to the broken bones he suffered," she said, per Daily Mail.

The teen from Lancashire in the UK had vanished on June 17 after leaving an Airbnb where he'd spent the night with two men.

Before his disappearance, Slater attended a rave with friends Lucy Mae Law and Brad Hargreaves at Papagayo nightclub during the NRG music festival.

The following morning, he called his friend Lucy Mae Law to say he was about to begin an 11-hour walk back to where they were staying. He also told her that he was lost and thirsty and that his phone battery was critically low.

On Sunday (June 30), the Spanish Civil Guard announced that the search for Slater around the Rural de Teno Park area had come to an end, but that the case remains open.

However, according to The Independent, Tenerife’s civil guard has now revealed that they continued an “incessant and discreet” search in which the “natural space was preserved so that it would not be filled with curious onlookers," despite having publicly called off the search.

Slater's grieving mom, Debbie Duncan, expressed her heartbreak over her late son's death in a heartwrenching message placed near the ravine where the young boy was located.

“To my beautiful boy. I’m so sorry we never found you. I miss you so much. You will be forever young and forever missed. Love you so much, Mum,” Debbie penned, as cited by Metro.

The late boy's dad Walter said: “To my Boy, Love Dad, Always, XXXX," while his brother Zak addressed his "little bro," writing: "Never in a million years did I think I’d be doing this.

"I’ll look after mum and dad. Hope you’re partying up there with granddad. Hope to see you again some day. Rest easy bro, I love you, Zak XX," he concluded.

Our thoughts remain with Slater's loved ones at this devastating time.

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