Jay Slater ‘might’ve survived mountain stroll’ as professional shares hopeful new concept

An expert offered a hopeful theory for how missing Brit teen Jay Slater could have survived the treacherous mountain terrain in Tenerife.

The 19-year-old could still be alive if he stumbled across water along a hiking trail, Brian Harrison, a surveying expert has suggested.

The British ex-pat theorised that Jay could have taken the Masca Gorge Trail, a popular hiking path.

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The trail, while extremely dangerous if walkers stray off the path, is also dotted with numerous narrow aqueducts and waterfalls, which means the young lad from Lancashire could have found water.

Harrison, who is also the Secretary General of the Tenerife Ecological Association, said: “Logic suggests that if Jay did get lost, maybe he was heading down towards the ocean. It’s feasible he has taken the Masca Gorge Trail and has fallen and injured himself,” The Mirror reports.

“There are some sheer drops along the route, there is danger. If he’s fallen it is feasibly possible that he’s got some water from somewhere, meaning he could still be alive, it’s a possibility.”

The 57-year-old Brit added that farmers use the many aqueducts along the trail to feed their goats and that there was a waterfall “down there”.

Harrison’s hopeful new theory comes as newly released search footage showed teams combing the steep, jagged mountainside along Los Carrizales Valley that is covered in bushes and sharp rocks.

Over the past week and a half, teams have narrowed and expanded their searches around the area where Jay’s phone last pinged.

In a lengthy statement, the Guardia Civil said it would call on a number volunteer associations to amp up search efforts further and embark on a massive campaign today (Saturday, June 29).

It said: “The Guardia Civil prepares and coordinates a large search to find the young British man missing in the village of Masca. The collaboration of all those Volunteer Associations is requested: Civil Protection, Firefighters, etc., and even private volunteers who are experts in the abrupt search terrain.

“The massive search will be carried out on Saturday, 29 June from 9am. Bearing in mind that this is an abrupt, rocky area, full of unevenness and with a multitude of ravines, paths and roads, the collaboration of all those Associations of Volunteers who can help in this raid that is intended to be carried out in a directed and coordinated manner is requested.”

The 19-year-old from Lancashire was reported missing in Tenerife more than a week ago (June 17) after he called his friend Lucy, telling her he was lost in a rural area of the island with only 1% battery left on his phone.

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