Jay Slater’s father has said he felt “disappointed” that just six volunteers turned up to help join the search for his missing son.
Guardia Civil officers put out a plea on Friday, begging for experienced volunteers to join the search for the 19-year-old.
The search, which took place yesterday from 9am was tipped to be a “large-scale” search operation as they expected an army of volunteers to join the search team already on the mountain.
In a statement, police said: “The Guardia Civil is preparing and coordinating a large search to find the young British man missing in the village of Masca.
“We are requesting collaboration of all volunteer associations: Civil Protection, Fire Department etc, and including private expert volunteers in the difficult search terrain.”
However, reports suggest that just six volunteers turned up to the search despite immense interest in the case from the public.
Among the six were a British TikTok mountaineer Paul Arnott, a German couple and a few Spanish nationals.
“It’s a bit disappointing that there are no British apart from Paul but I suppose to them he’s just a British lad who’s come out here and got drunk,” Warren Slater said.
“You can see just how dangerous it is and what gets me is the trollers who are having a go at us for not searching.”
Search for Jay Slater
REUTERS
He continued to say that he was “grateful” for those who did gather to help search for his son last seen on June 17.
He added: “It’s not the local park, these are big mountains, the terrain is dangerous, put yourself in our position would you go out in these conditions?
“It’s tough, it’s hard, we are leaving it to the professionals and I’m grateful for those who have turned out today and I want to thank them for what they are doing.”
In an update on the search for Slater, Cipriano Martin, Chief of the Mountain Rescue team of the Guardia Civil, said: “The plan will consist of carrying out a search with the people that have gathered here today, a thorough search.
“Because at the stage we’re at, we need to start ruling areas out, and need to be sure that the areas we’re searching – even though you may have already done a lot of work in the last few days – is looked at really thoroughly, and then can be ruled out.”
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Masca Ravine where Jay is beleived to have gone missing
REUTERS
When asked if the Civil Guard is keeping an open mind about what happened, Martin replied: “Yes, at the moment, yes. While we still don’t know, we’re not going to posit any theories. Various lines [of enquiry] are being worked on.
“We have searched the Masca area, the Barranco de San Lopez area and the Barranco Retamar, Barranco de las Aneas, Barranco de Carrizales, we have searched the whole area. We know to a certain science that he was here because the coverage of his phone its undeniable that he was around this point.
“And that’s where we have difficulties, because once you turn off your phone, it can no longer be traced. So while he was walking – and we don’t know how long he could have walked for – with his phone switched off, no antenna is going to pick that up.
“And the technology we have – it traces phones, but not people. We have certain clues, and we have to stick to those.”
Speaking on his current feelings about the search, Jay’s dad said it had been “tough” on the whole family.
Warren said: “We just still can’t believe it; it’s been so tough on us, and I want people to think about us as parents and what we are going through.
“All those trollers having a go at us, they don’t know how we feel, why don’t they come up here and have a look and see for themselves how dangerous it is.
“I’ve come up here now myself because I wanted to have a look about with Zak and to thank those who are up here and have given their time.
“I just didn’t think this would go on for so long, I dropped his mum and brother off at the airport and thought they would be back in a few days.
“I just thought he’s gone out had a drink and ended up at some girl’s place as we all did when we were younger, he’s our youngest I just want him home.”
