The mother of a British teenager missing in Tenerife has said she is “beside herself with worry” after flying to the Spanish island to desperately search for her son.
Jay Slater had one per cent battery left on his mobile before he vanished in a mountain region of Tenerife, his desperate family said.
The 19-year-old travelled to the Spanish island with friends Lucy and Brad to attend the NRG music festival, his first holiday on his own.
Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from at roughly 8am on Monday.
A huge search and rescue operation is now underway.
Jay was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with shorts and trainers. He was also believed to be carrying a black bag.
Lucy said he had called her to say he was lost, needed a drink of water and had low battery on his phone.
Jay added he had missed a bus back but was going to make the 11-hour walk back to their resort.
His phone then cut off, with his last known location showing as the mountainous Rural de Teno national park in the north west of the island.
Jay’s mother flew out to Tenerife from Manchester Airport and landed at around 11.35am on Tuesday to join the search.She said: “I’m obviously beside myself with worry which is why I’ve flown out here with my eldest son to do anything we can to help.
“We’re just praying the police or someone finds Jay. I know there’s a mountain rescue team out and a helicopter.
“Nothing’s ever going to be enough when your youngest son’s gone missing but it sounds as if the police here are taking this very seriously and doing the best job they can.”
Jay’s stepfather Andy Watson, 63, told the Manchester Evening News how police knocked on the home he shares with partner Debbie in the early hours to break the dreadful news.
Mr Watson said: “It was about 2.30am.
“When the police said ‘the best thing you can do is get yourself out there’ we knew it was bad. This was his first holiday on his own. I’m just hoping he’s gone to another party.”
The British Embassy had been informed.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”
A Civil Guard spokeswoman in Tenerife told the Daily Mail that “everything possible” was being done to find Jay, adding: “A specialist Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group called the Greim have been mobilised.
“A police helicopter is also out and focusing on the area around the village of Masca.
“Other emergency services including firefighters have also been mobilised.
“Everything possible is being done to try to find the missing man.”
