On the ground with the desperate search for missing Jay Slater in Tenerife
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From the curving road that connects the towns of Masca and Las Portelas, near the area where 19-year-old Jay Slater went missing, you can see four white police cars parked in a steep canyon.
Police officers from the Guardia Civil, dressed in green and black uniforms, are spending their time searching through the bushes with the help of a sniffer dog. They are still looking for the missing person, even though more than a week has passed since he disappeared.
In the past, helicopters and drones were used to search for the teenager. But now, a small team of emergency workers is leading the search, with specially trained dogs brought in from Madrid.
Mr. Slater was last seen in a secluded area close to the Mirador La Cruz de Hilda cafe, which is an 11-hour walk away from where he was staying in the southern part of Tenerife.
The man going missing has caused friends, family, online investigators, and people with different beliefs to look for him. However, only a few police officers could be seen by Tuesday afternoon, and there was no sign of the apprentice bricklayer to give any hints about his whereabouts.
In an interview with The Independent, a youthful server at a café in Masca shared his astonishment at the amount of focus from the media. "This is a common occurrence," he mentioned. "Individuals wander off, disappear, and occasionally are discovered, but sometimes it can take some time."
The environment in Masca Valley is harsh - the slopes are filled with untamed plants and prickly cacti, and the trails can suddenly veer off into steep cliffs. By following the same path as the last person known to have been there, it becomes clear how easy it would be to get lost by straying from the main route or well-used paths.
As the beach resorts of Tenerife bask in sunny 26C-degree temperature, the weather can suddenly shift in the mountains, bringing unexpected gusts of wind and thick mist in just a few moments.
An older Spanish couple, who have a vacation home on a secluded dirt road in the mountains, observed the police search from their backyard.
In challenging terrain, law enforcement officers are searching through the bushes and going down into the ravine to look for clues. When questioned about the search, they denied that authorities had lessened their efforts and mentioned that helicopters, drones, and dogs have been used in the nearby area for the past four days, but haven't found anything.
At the moment, authorities in Spain are looking into a potential sighting of the young person in the area of Santiago del Tiede. A blurry security camera image captured a boy walking across the street on Monday evening.
The path to Masca is close by, but the journey is long because of the twisty roads and risky hills. In the village center, adorned with festive flags, there are some flyers of Mr. Slater on display at the bus stops and notice boards.
His father, Warren Slater, visited the town on Sunday and Monday and asked reporters for help in finding them. He placed them there himself.
"I simply want him to be located. All I desire is for my son to return to me," he expressed to The Sun.
What else can we expect? It's been seven days now, a week of pure boredom. Surely, someone out there has uncovered some information by now. Anyone.
"It's an absolute nightmare. It's impossible to fully describe unless you're experiencing it yourself. Please, I beg anyone who has information, please step forward and assist us."
Chatting in front of a small coffee shop, a resident named Anita shared: "We always have hikers who disappear, it happens every summer without fail."
Law enforcement officers arrive for just a short period of time to conduct a search before departing. In some cases, it can take several months before a body is discovered due to the challenging terrain of the mountains.
People have claimed they saw him in this area, but no one has any information about his whereabouts. His family has visited here, but there is no evidence to suggest he is here. As far as I am aware, no shop or cafe has encountered him.
Some people are confused and indifferent when questioned about the high level of media attention in the region, while the mayor of the area, Emilio Navarro, stated that every effort and tool at their disposal are being utilized to locate him.
There is ongoing speculation about Mr. Slater's sudden disappearance. He contacted his friend Lucy Law around 8:15am last Monday, informing her that he was lost, in need of water, and his phone battery was almost dead.
He was on vacation with his friends in Tenerife, having a great time at the NRG festival at Papagayo Beach Club in Playa de Las Americas last Sunday.
However, in the wee hours of Monday morning, he journeyed 23 miles to the secluded village of Masca, a hilly region well-liked by hikers. After meeting two British men at the festival, he decided to go with them to their Airbnb before heading out on his own at approximately 7:30am.
There is little information available about where he went, but one person who saw him said he asked about bus schedules before heading off in the opposite direction.
Several people, including a couple who are interested in "dark tourism", visited the search site and have been observing the operation for the past few days. These individuals, along with other internet sleuths and conspiracy theorists, have traveled to Masca recently and have been sharing their discoveries on social media platforms like TikTok.
In reaction to the outrageous rumors, his mother, Debbie Duncan, expressed her concern, saying: "I pray that I don't have to bring my son home in a coffin. It's hard to believe that the people of Britain are not backing me in the search for Jay. It could easily happen to any of you someday."
