British teen goes missing after NRG festival in Tenerife

The Briton Jay Slater went missing in Tenerife on Sunday, June 16, after flying with friends to the NRG music festival. The Spanish police organized a large-scale search. The family of the missing person also flew to the island.

Music festivals around the world attract tens of thousands of participants. Coachella, Burning Man, and Tomorrowland connect music fans from all over the globe. These events bring not only joy and hefty bills but also potential dangers. Date rape pills dropped into drinks, thefts, sexual assaults, beatings, and, at worst, disappearances or deaths. The family of the 19-year-old Briton who went missing after the NRG festival knows this all too well.

Nineteen-year-old Jay Slater from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, England, flew to the Canary Islands with friends. They wanted to attend the NRG festival, which took place from June 14 to June 16, 2024, in Tenerife. This trip to the Spanish islands was the first one Jay took without his parents. After the festival, Jay decided to visit new acquaintances in the northwestern part of the island.

The teenager went missing on Monday, June 17. The last person who spoke to Slater was his friend Lucy Law, whom he called around 8 AM. Jay mentioned that he missed the bus and intended to return to his friends on foot. He probably didn't realize the hike would take him about 7 miles. Jay also said that a cactus had injured his leg and that his phone was about to die. Lucy Law managed to ask him to return to the new acquaintances before the call dropped.

The day after Jay went missing on Tenerife, his parents and brother flew in. The family wants to assist the Spanish police in their search efforts. Currently, the officers are focusing on the Teno Nature Park area, the last place Jay's phone logged on. This part of Tenerife is arid, with no rivers or lakes, which could contribute to Jay's dehydration. During his phone conversation with Lucy Law, Jay mentioned he was thirsty. British law enforcement from Lancashire offered Guardia Civil support, but the Spanish government declined, stating they had adequate resources.

A week has passed since Jay Slater's disappearance. Despite extensive search efforts, Jay is still missing, profoundly affecting his family's mental health. In an interview with "The Guardian," Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, said: "We are not coping. I am not coping at all. I haven't slept, and I am exhausted. It has been terrible. I cannot give up, I just can't."

Lucy Law decided to take action. She started a GoFundMe fundraiser, where she wrote: "Jay left at 8 AM (from the new acquaintances—editor's note) and walked for half an hour before desperately calling me when his phone reached 1%. That was three days ago, and since then, no one has seen or heard from him. His last known location was on a dirt road, six hours' walk from the hotel where we were staying. Weather conditions are terrible for someone in shorts and a T-shirt, both during the day and at night. There's no water when it's warm during the day, and he lacks a jacket or appropriate clothing when it's cold at night. It was 34°F outside and very windy. We are all very worried and just want him to come home."

The NRG festival, where Jay was having fun, also commented on Jay Slater's disappearance. In a statement, they wrote: "As you probably know, among the participants was 19-year-old Jay Slater, whose disappearance was reported on Monday in the north of the island after leaving the event. We are grateful to the many thousands of people who have since shared appeals for information through our and many other channels. Despite the extensive reach and hard work of local authorities and volunteers involved in the search, Jay has not yet been found. We are inspired by the resilience and determination of his family. Like them and you, we hope for Jay's safe return. Authorities in Tenerife can be contacted for any information at local numbers 062 or 112."