Police in Tenerife are reportedly investigating a new lead linked to the mysterious disappearance of British teenager Jay Slater. The 19-year-old, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared following an attempt to walk back to his accommodation on June 17. He had attended the NRG music festival on the island with two friends before his disappearance, and his last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the island which was about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.
Police are now reportedly probing claims of a nightclub scuffle over a stolen Rolex in the hours before the teenager vanished. A fight broke out outside Papagayo Beach Club – where Jay was pictured partying – and it involved a man who claimed his Rolex watch had been stolen, it’s been claimed. It is not clear how this incident could be linked to Jay’s disappearance, but one friend suggested he could’ve gone to look for the watch. Police are now reportedly studying CCTV and security camera footage, according to MailOnline.
The new theory comes as Spanish police asked for expert volunteers to help in a new major search, beginning at 9am (local time) in the village of Masca, near to his last-known location. The search was coordinated to take in a steep rocky area, including ravines, trails and paths. The Guardia Civil appealed for volunteer associations, such as firefighters, and individual volunteers who were experts in rugged terrain to assist in the “busqueda masiva”, translated as ‘massive search’. It marks the 13th day in the search for the apprentice bricklayer.
On Friday, Mr Slater’s friend Brad Hargreaves told ITV’s This Morning he had been on a video call with him before his disappearance when he heard him go off the road. He said: “He was on the phone walking down a road and he’d gone over a little bit not a big drop but a tiny little drop and he was going down, and he said ‘I’ll ring ya back, I’ll ring ya back’ because I think someone else was ringing him.” He confirmed he could see his friend’s feet “sliding” down the hill and could hear he was walking on gravel. But, Mr Hargreaves said he and his friend were both laughing at that point. He added: “He didn’t seem concerned on the phone until we knew how far away he was.” He told the programme he still had hope for Mr Slater and was “praying” for him to come home.
