BAR staff among the final people to see Jay Slater have broken their silence on the “horrible” situation as they give out a chilling warning to tourists.
Detectives have been working tirelessly for ten days to try and find Jay, 19, after he vanished in Tenerife sparking worldwide concern for his safety.
Sources say “nothing is being ruled out” in the mammoth search as teams scour the desolate Rural de Teno National Park where the Lancashire teen’s phone last had signal.
Monica works at Paniclub in Playa de la Americas resort that sits near the lively Tenerife strip near to where Jay was partying the night before his disappearance.
The employee said the chilling case has taken over the lives of locals with it being all people are talking about.
She told the Manchester Evening News: “Everybody here is living nice and happy, so it’s very sad news. It’s horrible, horrible. Yesterday I was off and we were speaking the whole day about him.
“It’s all we are talking about, the local people. It’s everywhere in the media, it’s so sad.”
Another employee who works at a hotel across from Paniclub in Playa de la Americas said the situation has been “breaking my heart”.
Jay’s distraught mum Debbie Duncan, 55, said she has “barely slept” in the past 10 days.
As his dad Warren, 58, spoke to the press, breaking down in tears as he described being in “a living hell”.
Warren told The Sun: “I just want him to be found. I just want my son back, end of.”
Investigators have said they are in a “race against time” to find Jay before the island is flooded with a rush of tourists for the summer.
Monica was also quick to send out a chilling warning to those flocking to the holiday hotspot after Jay’s disappearance.
She sent out a reminder to tourists over the potential dangers of going overboard when drinking on holiday.
The bar worker warned: “Everybody here is looking for fun and drinks. People could go out partying and get lost here, in the nighttime it can be dangerous.”
Although the case has attracted huge attention across the globe, cops still believe people in Tenerife could provide some vital clues.
It’s prompted officers to consider a TV appeal – which could even involve the teenager’s parents Debbie and Warren, who have both flown out to the island.
A source close to the investigation told The Sun: “Although it’s still entirely possible Jay got disoriented and went missing after getting lost, cops aren’t ruling anything out.
“They are open-minded to other scenarios which is why they are considering an appeal that would speak directly to people living locally who might have vital information.
“It’s a race against time and although no resources are being cut back, the next few days are absolutely crucial.
“In just a few weeks time the area will be flooded with even more tourists and visitors which will make the search for Jay even harder than it is now.
“That’s why they are keen to do all they can in the coming days to try and secure fresh leads that can help bring answers to Jay’s family who remain beside themselves with worry.”
The Guardia Civil are yet to comment publicly on the TV plan and other sources say a televised appeal may only take place further down the line of the investigation.
It comes as…
Helicopters, drones and dogs have been combing the island, with search crews focusing their efforts on the 2,000ft Masca ravine in the north.
It is where his phone last pinged a nearby cell tower at 8.50am on June 17.
After going to a rave on the night of June 16, Jay headed to Masca, on with two British men he had met that evening.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Lancashire, stayed at their rented Airbnb for a couple of hours before trying to make his way back to his holiday accommodation last Monday morning.
He made a final frantic call to friend Lucy Law, telling her he was lost in the “middle of nowhere” with no water and had just one per cent battery on his phone.
Cops on the island yesterday drafted in reinforcements with specialist sniffer dog teams.
Search dog units trained specially to comb large areas have been flown in from Madrid some 1,300 miles away.
The developments came as a local mayor said there had been a number of reports from people saying they thought they had seen Jay watching Euro 24 football games on the island.
Meanwhile, Jay’s friends have blasted warped conspiracy theorists and idiotic TikTok sleuths who have jetted to Tenerife in a twisted bid to join the hunt.
Jay’s distraught loved ones spent the last day grappling with fake death posts being shared on social media.
They have also had to endure an onslaught of vile messages and bogus theories from trolls online after the teen disappeared.
Many of his pals have even been forced to respond to “horrible lies” being spread online as the mystery deepens around the missing teenager.
On Tuesday morning, a family friend of Jay took to social media after a video surfaced of her “partying on a boat”.
She was left hurt and disgusted after people hounded her for “partying” instead of looking for Jay despite the clip being taken months ago.
The pal hit back at the fake rumours calling them a complete lie as she wrote on social media: “This is another horrible lie about myself firstly this isn’t me.
“I am here looking for my sons best friend not partying if anyone did see this. Absolutely heartbroken. It was a previous holiday.”
The friend was also at the centre of the fake death posts circulating on Monday with her profile being used in the hoax screenshots.
A spineless troll pretending to be her posted: “Jay’s body has been found. Our hearts are with his family in these evil times, we’ve heard from locals that it was the job of Morrocans(sic).”
Jay’s heartbroken mum Debbie has also said she felt “very let down” after sleuths started questioning what more than £30,000 raised on a GoFundMe page would be used for.
Debbie said: “I am really am saddened by all your comments. You seem to be so bothered about this GoFundMe page.
“I really hope I am not taking my son home in a body bag.
“I really cannot believe the British public are not supporting me in trying to find Jay.
“This may happen to any of you one day. Very let down by you all.”
BY Ellie Doughty, Foreign News Reporter
SUNDAY JUNE 16 – MONDAY 17
Jay goes to a rave at the 2024 NRG music festival in Tenerife, around Arona on the south of the island
8.35pm – Jay posts a smiling Snapchat video of him laughing with friends
He leaves the rave with two men he met that day and is driven back to their accommodation across the island
MONDAY 17
7.30am – Jay posts a Snapchat of a hand holding a cigarette in the area where the accommodation was – near the rural de Teno Park on the north of the island
8.30am – Jay calls his friend Lucy Law and tells her he missed a bus, had one per cent of battery left on his phone and was stuck in the “middle of nowhere”
9am – A missing persons report is filed and the search for Jay begins
TUESDAY 18
2am – Police knock on the door of Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan’s home and tell her to catch the first flight out to Tenerife
7am – She flies out from Manchester Airport alongside her son Zak to help with the search
Debbie is sent a Snapchat message saying “Kiss goodbye to your boy, you’re never going to see him again, he owes me a lot of money.”
WEDNESDAY 19
12.30pm – Police move the search to the south of the island briefly after a false sighting
Cops search his hotel room for clues as his mum says there was “nothing untoward there”
Debbie gives a heart-wrenching interview where she shares fears he has been “taken” and says “I just want my baby back”
THURSDAY 20
Cops begin day four of the massive search for Jay
FRIDAY 21
Lancashire cops offer to help with the search but Tenerife authorities say they are “satisfied that they have the resources they need”
Search turns to 22,000ft ravine in Masca – part of an area dubbed “the badlands” by locals
SATURDAY 22
The sixth day of the search begins with sniffer dogs, cops, mountain rescue and firefighters again taking to the hills in northern Tenerife
Possible new sighting of Jay places him near a church with two men at 6pm on Monday – although unconfirmed by police
Jay’s dad Warren and brother Zak visit the search site in Tenerife
SUNDAY 23
Cops focus their search around small outbuildings in de Teno park near where Jay’s phone last pinged
Jay’s mum Debbie says trolls are comparing her to Karen Matthews
The GoFundMe set up by Jay’s friend Lucy surpasses £30,000 after just three days
Exclusive Sun footage shows Jay appearing to fall and stumble back up at a rave before he vanished
MONDAY 24
Search for Jay enters eighth day
Police expand search area north to parts of Buenavista del Norte
Jay’s dad says his family are in ‘a living hell’
TUESDAY 25
Brit hiker found by Jay search teams says he ‘didn’t need to be saved’
Madeleine McCann cop lands in Tenerife to join search
Tenerife cops call in reinforcements from Madrid – including specialist sniffer dogs
