Jay Slater: Life on Tenerife returns to normal as search for missing Brit enters fourth week

Three weeks have passed since British teenager Jay Slater went missing, and things on the island of Tenerife are starting to settle back into their usual routine.

On Sunday night, the popular area of Veronicas in Playa de las Americas was filled with young British vacationers in groups, drinking heavily and openly using drugs in the brightly lit bars playing loud dance music.

At the oceanfront Papagayo club, Jay, a 19-year-old, danced and partied until the early morning of Monday June 17 at the NRG music festival. Guests enjoyed dinner and sipped on cocktails before the dancing began on the crowded dancefloor.

Jay's family is still puzzled about why he decided to leave with two older men and travel by car for an hour to the small village of Masca, instead of going back to where he was staying in Los Cristianos, which is close by.

The stunning scenery is completely different from the nightlife area of the resort, which is filled with bars, fast food joints, and strip clubs.

Before the path gets smaller and winds up into the mountains, Jay would have traveled through Santiago del Teide. During the weekend, the town was buzzing with locals and visitors enjoying meals at the few restaurants scattered around the quaint rural area.

There are missing signs on display at the bus stops across from each other on the main road, indicating the search for Jay.

The fact that Masca may be connected to his vanishing act hasn't stopped tourists from visiting. Rental cars are seen maneuvering through the twisty turns that snake their way up and down the steep hills towards the village.

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If tourists are able to locate a place to park, they often pause to admire the stunning scenery, explore the hiking trails, or grab a snack at one of the cozy cafes. One of these cafes is owned by Ofelia Medina Hernandez, situated above the simple Airbnb where Jay came back with the two men.

Before, she told Sky News that Jay attempted to catch a bus to return to Los Cristianos. However, his friend Lucy Law says he informed her that he missed the bus and attempted to walk back instead, a journey that would have taken approximately 11 hours.

He told Lucy that he had injured his leg on a cactus, was unsure of his location, got lost in the mountains, and his phone battery was almost dead. Soon after, his phone died completely and he was declared missing.

The teenager was last seen in a steep canyon that goes all the way to the ocean, which became the main area for the 12-day search by the police. Drones, dogs, and helicopters were used in an attempt to locate the teenager before the search was ended on Sunday.

Visitors often visit the restaurant and souvenir shop located at the viewpoint, which served as the temporary main office for the activity. They take pictures in front of the beautiful background, try the signature grilled goat cheese with honey, or enjoy a Barraquito drink - a unique coffee blend made with lemon, liquor, and condensed milk.

A woman taking care of her onion garden in the peaceful village of Los Carrizales mentioned that the only police presence on Saturday was a lone Guardia Civil vehicle that passed by the small road briefly before heading back.

Law enforcement had already combed through the caves perched above the small farms cultivating vegetables and grapevines and also utilized drones for surveillance.

Currently, Jay's family depends on the generosity of volunteers to explore the rugged terrain, where lizards dart around among the cacti and shrubs.

Warren Slater, Zak Slater, and Glen Duncan, along with a local hiking group, went to search an area called Barranco Juan Lopez. This is where Jay's phone was found last, and they did this on Saturday in very hot weather.

One person had wounds on her arms when she walked back up the dusty path to the road, while his uncle said the conditions were very dangerous.

"It's really confusing in that place. There's no one around. I reached a point where I wasn't even searching for my nephew but focusing on trying to escape to safety," he shared.

On Sunday, the only search that could be seen was being done by Paul Arnott, a solo hiker from Bedfordshire. He journeyed from Fort William in Scotland and posts videos of his search for Jay. These videos get hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.

Tenerife police have received criticism for halting the search and providing limited updates to Jay's family, despite their ongoing investigation.

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However, Santiago Carlos Martin, a member of the SOS Desaparecidos organization in Tenerife, believes that the attention and resources allocated to this search far surpass those of other missing persons cases.

As per the group's online platform, there are a total of 82 individuals who are currently missing in the Canary Islands. The oldest case dates back to 1981, with 50 of the missing persons located on the island of Tenerife. Among them, 22 are foreigners, including a few who are British citizens.

Jay's loved ones are determined to keep his memory alive and are still holding onto the belief that they will reunite with him.

"Just make sure it's visible," Jay's uncle Glen instructed the reporters upon his return from the challenging search.