Spanish police have admitted the possibility of finding a body in their ongoing search for missing British teenager Jay Slater, but they remain determined to solve the mystery of his disappearance. Jay, a 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last seen on Monday morning after attending the NRG music festival in Tenerife.
The Civil Guard, which is leading the search operation, has mobilized extensive resources to locate Jay. Images released by the authorities show the considerable efforts being made in the challenging mountainous terrain near the village of Masca, where Jay was last spotted. A police helicopter has been conducting aerial sweeps of the Masca Gorge, while officers from a specialist mountain rescue unit, Greim, along with scent dogs, search on the ground.
Firefighters and Civil Protection workers are also assisting with the operation, utilizing drones to aid the search. Despite the difficult conditions, the search will continue today and through the weekend if necessary.
A police source emphasized the commitment to finding Jay, stating, “There’s no talk at this stage of scaling down the efforts to find this missing man and certainly not of suspending it. The plan at the moment is to continue until he is found.”
The same source acknowledged the grim possibility that Jay may be found deceased, but the primary focus remains on the hope that he is still alive and can be reunited with his family and friends. “Officers obviously are prepared for the possibility they may find a body, but at the moment, everyone is focused on the idea he is still alive and they can help reunite him with his family and friends,” the source added.
The disappearance of Jay Slater has drawn significant attention and concern. He was last seen getting into a car with two people he met after the music festival. During a distressed phone call to his friend Lucy Law, Jay indicated that he was lost, dehydrated, and had only 1% battery on his phone. The call abruptly ended, and he has not been heard from since.
The search efforts are complicated by Jay’s previous involvement in a violent incident in August 2021. Jay and seven other teenagers attacked Tom Hilton with a machete, axe, and golf club near the Old Paper Mill in Hermitage Street, Rishton. Jay was sentenced to an 18-month community order with rehabilitation activities and unpaid work for his role in the attack. This history adds a layer of complexity to the current search efforts.