Jay Slater could still be ALIVE and cops ended search for missing Tenerife teen far too early, says family investigator

A PRIVATE investigator says cops in Tenerife ended their search for Jay Slater too abruptly.

Army reservist Juan García said Jay, 19, could still be alive and eating plants after vanishing on June 17.

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Jay Slater has been missing since June 17[/caption]

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from more than two weeks ago when he phoned a pal to tell her he was “lost in the middle of nowhere”.

He had gone back to a remote Airbnb with two British men on the northwest of island in the early hours of June before leaving in the morning.

After missing the bus, he started walking the 11-hour route back to his holiday accommodation.

At around 8.50am he made a final frantic call to friend Lucy, saying he was in the “middle of nowhere” with no water and had just one per cent battery on his phone.

It sparked a mammoth search – which was called off on Sunday.

But García believes the search was axed too soon.

He told The Times: “Two weeks is too premature to end the search.

“[Slater] could be alive somewhere — someone can drink from rainwater and eat plants.

“The family should not give up hope.”

García, 53, has assisted several search missions in the area and has “spoken directly to the family”.