The search for missing Brit Jay Slater has dramatically been halted in mountains in the north-west of Tenerife and switched to the south of the island.
Since Monday sniffer dogs and mountain rescue experts had been searching for the 19-year-old near the village of Masca. The apprentice bricklayer had gone back to the accomodation of “two English lads he met at a party” on the Sunday evening for a “few beers”, taking one of the Brit’s hire cars back to the apartment.
The following morning, unable to find a bus to take him back to his accomodation, the teen from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, decided to make his way back on foot — a journey that would take 11 hours.
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Now, at midday today police said the search operation had been switched to the south – in the tourist resorts of Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas near to where the teenager was staying.
(Image: Facebook)
A spokesman for the Civil Guard said at 12.30pm local time: “The search operation has moved to the south of the island.
“The search areas are Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas.”
The spokesman wasn’t able to offer any more detail on the reason for the switch but added: “It’s obviously down to information that’s been received as the investigation has progressed.
“As things stand at the moment the search in the mountainous area near Masca in the north has been halted.”
Police said this morning they were keeping an open mind on Jay’s mystery disappearance as the third day of a Tenerife mountain search got underway for the 19-year-old.
(Image: MEN)
A Civil Guard spokeswoman in Tenerife said just before 11am local time today, before it emerged a search had begun in the south a 45-minute drive from the Masca area: “We are still searching for the missing man.
“The search operation is being conducted by the Civil Guard and different units are participating.
“They include the helicopter unit, the cynological unit which uses dogs, the Greim mountain rescue and intervention unit and citizen security patrols.”
A well-placed source said: “The probability the missing man has lost his bearings and could have suffered an accident in unfamiliar terrain doesn’t mean other possibilities won’t be considered and actively worked on if investigators feel there’s sufficient clues to warrant it.
“That said the large search operation that’s ongoing suggests the idea this person became disorientated is the likely scenario as far as police are concerned, even if no-one is officially saying so at the moment.”
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