Jay Slater's mum issues new heartbreaking statement after search for missing teenager was called off
Missing Jay Slater with mum Debbie Duncan
PA
Missing teenager Jay Slater's mother has issued a tragic new statement after Spanish authorities called off the search for her son on Sunday.
Debbie Duncan, speaking via LBT Global, a British overseas missing persons charity, said the Slater family had been left "absolutely devastated" by 19-year-old Jay's disappearance on June 17.
She said: "My son, Jay Dean Slater, came to the holiday island of Tenerife on June 13 with his friend to attend a music festival.
"On June 17, after not returning to his apartment, he was reported as a missing person.
Jay Slater has been missing on Tenerife for nearly two weeksGetty/PA"Jay is a normal guy who is in his third year of an apprenticeship, and he is a very popular young man with a large circle of friends. We are a very close family and are absolutely devastated about his disappearance.
"Words cannot describe the pain and agony we are experiencing.
"He is our beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him and we just want to find him. We do not have any information on his whereabouts.
"The Guardia Civil have worked tirelessly up in the mountains where Jay's last phone call was traced. They conducted a land search for 12 days which involved every resource they had available.
MORE ON JAY SLATER:
Missing Jay Slater with mum Debbie DuncanPA
Investigators had scoured the area far and wide before calling off the searchPA"Although the land search ended, the Spanish police still continue with their investigations into why Jay had travelled to the location so far away from his accommodation.
"We offer our sincere thanks to the Spanish authorities who continue to follow lines of inquiries.
"We would like to say to the press/news/reporters, that although we do not want to lose the momentum of Jay’s disappearance, we really would like to maintain our privacy and crucially let the Spanish police get on with their investigations without hindrance from press.
"We are aware of the conspiracy theories and speculation on social media and some websites, and can only describe this as vile, the negative comments are extremely distressing to our family.
Debbie Duncan said the family "embrace the love and support we have received from across the globe"
PA/ITN
Images from the mountains of Tenerife reveal just how large the search area isPA"We also embrace the love and support we have received from across the globe. It has not gone unnoticed, especially his home town in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.
"As a family we would like the world to respect our privacy at this present time."
As Duncan pointed out, Spain's Guardia Civil had called off their search on Sunday - while a spokesperson from the authority said: "The search operation has now finished, although the case remains open."
It is understood that Slater's family and friends will stay in Tenerife to continue to look for him.
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