Lancashire bricklayer Jay Slater vanished without a trace on Monday June 17 and is still nowhere to be found despite local search efforts.
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But now a Spanish local has come forward and said he’s taken aback by the widespread media coverage.
The waiter works at a cafe in Masca, the small village near the Macizo de Teno mountains Jay is thought to have gone missing.
He told The Independent: “This happens a lot. People walk, go missing and sometimes they get found, sometimes it takes a while.”
His nonchalant attitude may provide comfort to Jay’s family who have been withdrawing some of the £36,000 worth of donations raised so far.
Jay flew out to the Spanish island of Tenerife to attend the NRG music festival with friends before the mystery ensued.
A mammoth search operation is underway across the island’s northwest where he is last thought to have been, but the terrain is notorious for its dangerous ravines.
After the electronic dance music event finished in the early hours of June 17, Jay headed to Masca with two Brit lads he’d met that night.
He shared a final Snapchat from their Airbnb of a hand holding a cigarette at 7.30am.
Detectives have been working tirelessly for eleven days to try and find Jay, whose family have flown out and set up a GoFundMe to air their urgent plea.
Mum Debbie Duncan said cash from her GoFundMe page will be used to fly out the “loved ones” of the “wonderful people” who are with her in Tenerife.
Heartbroken Debbie, 55, said money would also go towards the teams on their 11th day searching for Jay, as well as her family’s accommodation and food.
She wrote on the page today: “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.
“Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses.
It comes days after Debbie was forced to defend the fundraiser after online trolls questioned what the donations would be used for.
The page, set up by Jay’s pal Lucy Law, surpassed its £30,000 goal within days.
Debbie lambasted cruel conspiracy theorists asking why money was needed – saying she has been left feeling “very let down.”
Inflamed by the comments, Debbie said: “I am really am saddened by all your comments.
“You seem to be so bothered about this GoFundMe page. I really hope I am not taking my son home in a body bag.”
The Sun revealed earlier today that authorities were told two years ago their resources were insufficient and were urged to improve them after repeated failures.
Jay, 19, is one of 11 people who have gone missing in Tenerife in just six months.
The coordinator of SOS Disappeared in Tenerife, Santiago Carlos Martín, told how “families feel abandoned” during hunts for their loved ones.
Mr Martín, who leads a group of around 40 volunteers, said: “There are many who have disappeared in the Canary Islands and the number has increased since the pandemic.”
He and his team have called for more multidisciplinary teams to be on standby to help with searches.
Authorities on the island are still pushing on with the search for the 19-year-old.
Cops say there is no talk yet of halting the search despite growing concerns they will find a body.
The Civil Guard which has been leading the operation near the village of Masca where the teenager was last seen said today it was continuing as normal.
More sniffer dogs trained in searching for people over large expanses of land were flown in from Madrid and incorporated into the operation on Tuesday.
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Timeline of Jay Slater’s disappearance
SUNDAY JUNE 16 – MONDAY 17
Jay goes to a rave at the 2024 NRG music festival in Tenerife, around Arona on the south of the island
8.35pm – Jay posts a smiling Snapchat video of him laughing with friends
He leaves the rave with two men he met that day and is driven back to their accommodation across the island
MONDAY 17
7.30am – Jay posts a Snapchat of a hand holding a cigarette in the area where the accommodation was – near the rural de Teno Park on the north of the island
8.30am – Jay calls his friend Lucy Law and tells her he missed a bus, had one per cent of battery left on his phone and was stuck in the “middle of nowhere”
9am – A missing persons report is filed and the search for Jay begins
TUESDAY 18
2am – Police knock on the door of Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan’s home and tell her to catch the first flight out to Tenerife
7am – She flies out from Manchester Airport alongside her son Zak to help with the search
Debbie is sent a Snapchat message saying “Kiss goodbye to your boy, you’re never going to see him again, he owes me a lot of money.”
WEDNESDAY 19
12.30pm – Police move the search to the south of the island briefly after a false sighting
Cops search his hotel room for clues as his mum says there was “nothing untoward there”
Debbie gives a heart-wrenching interview where she shares fears he has been “taken” and says “I just want my baby back”
THURSDAY 20
Cops begin day four of the massive search for Jay
FRIDAY 21
Lancashire cops offer to help with the search but Tenerife authorities say they are “satisfied that they have the resources they need”
Search turns to 22,000ft ravine in Masca – part of an area dubbed “the badlands” by locals
SATURDAY 22
The sixth day of the search begins with sniffer dogs, cops, mountain rescue and firefighters again taking to the hills in northern Tenerife
Possible new sighting of Jay places him near a church with two men at 6pm on Monday – although unconfirmed by police
Jay’s dad Warren and brother Zak visit the search site in Tenerife
SUNDAY 23
Cops focus their search around small outbuildings in de Teno park near where Jay’s phone last pinged
Jay’s mum Debbie says trolls are comparing her to Karen Matthews
The GoFundMe set up by Jay’s friend Lucy surpasses £30,000 after just three days
Exclusive Sun footage shows Jay appearing to fall and stumble back up at a rave before he vanished
MONDAY 24
Search for Jay enters eighth day
Police expand search area north to parts of Buenavista del Norte
Jay’s dad says his family are in ‘a living hell’
TUESDAY 25
Brit hiker found by Jay search teams says he ‘didn’t need to be saved’
Madeleine McCann cop lands in Tenerife to join search
Tenerife cops call in reinforcements from Madrid – including specialist sniffer dogs
WEDNESDAY 26
Locals claim they have spotted Jay watching Euros
Investigator reveals descriptions of two men Jay partied with
Cops scour exact spot where ‘mystery grainy figure’ was seen