Jay Slater’s mum issues new statement after search for missing teenager ends

The desperate search for the 19-year-old was called off on Sunday.

Debbie Duncan, who travelled to Tenerife this day two weeks ago to assist in the search, has issued a statement describing how difficult the ordeal has been, and expressed her gratitude towards all of those who assisted in the search for her teenage son.

The statement was released via the British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global, and reads: "My son, Jay Dean Slater, came to the holiday island of Tenerife on the 13th of June with his friend to attend a music festival. On the 17th of June after not returning to his apartment he was reported as a missing person. Jay is a normal guy who is in his 3rd year of an apprenticeship, and he is a very popular young man with a large circle of friends.

"We are a very close family and are absolutely devastated about his disappearance. Words cannot describe the pain and agony we are experiencing. He is our beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him and we just want to find him.

"We do not have any information on his whereabouts," the statement adds. "The Guardia Civil have worked tirelessly up in the mountains where Jay's last phone call was traced. They conducted a land search for 12 days which involved every resource they had available. Although the land search ended, the Spanish police still continue with their investigations into why Jay had travelled to the location so far away from his accommodation.

"We offer our sincere thanks to the Spanish authorities who continue to follow lines of enquiries.

"We would like to say to the press/news/reporters, that although we do not want to lose the momentum of Jay's disappearance, we really would like to maintain our privacy and crucially let the Spanish police get on with their investigations without hindrance from press.

"We are aware of the conspiracy theories and speculation on social media and some websites, and can only describe this as vile, the negative comments are extremely distressing to our family.

"We also embrace the love and support we have received from across the globe. It has not gone unnoticed, especially his home town in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.

"As a family we would like the world to respect our privacy at this present time."

For two weeks, the Guardia Civil conducted an extensive search of the remote, mountainous area north-west of the island where Jay was last seen.

Police believe he returned to a rented accommodation in the village of Masca with two British tourists he had befriended at the NRG music festival, which was taking place that weekend in the popular holiday destination of Costa Adeje.