Jay Slater may have fallen into gorge after getting lost on treacherous mountain trail…& may still be alive, expert says

MISSING Jay Slater could have fallen into a steep gorge after getting lost on a mountain trail – but could still be alive, an expert has claimed.

Surveying expert Brian Harrison, who lives in Tenerife, believes Jay, 19, could have taken the Masca Gorge Trail, a popular hiking route.

Doug Seeburg/News Group Newspape

Jay Slater could have fallen into a steep gorge after getting lost on a mountain trail[/caption]

Doug Seeburg/News Group Newspape

The start of the rugged trail from Masca that missing Jay could have taken[/caption]

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Brit teenager may still be alive, the surveying expert claimed[/caption]

PA

Emergency workers near the village of Masca, Tenerife, where the search continues[/caption]

The trail begins not far from where Jay went missing 11 days ago and heads towards the ocean.

Local police have searched the gorge with dogs, helicopters and drones, but a person could easily be overlooked amid the thick brush and cacti.

And ex-pat Mr Harrison, 57, says the route, known locally as Barranco de Masca, can be extremely perilous if hikers diverge from the path.

But he added that the area also has dozens of narrow aqueducts and waterfalls meaning Jay could have found access to water.

“Logic suggests that if Jay did get lost, maybe he was heading down towards the ocean,” he said.

“It’s feasible he has taken the Masca Gorge Trail and has fallen and injured himself.

“There are some sheer drops along the route, there is danger.

“And if he’s fallen it is feasibly possible that he’s got some water from somewhere, meaning he could still be alive, it’s a possibility.

“The area has lots of aqueducts that farmers use to feed their goats and there’s a waterfall down there.”

Mr Harrison, a telecommunications engineer who is also the Secretary General of the Tenerife Ecological Association, said he knows the remote mountainous area very well.

“I used to work on telecommunications surveys in that area,” he said.

“It’s extremely rugged, there’s extreme highs and lows of temperature even at this time of year.

“You get mist and clouds up at that height where you literally can’t see anything.

“It’s extremely dangerous if you go off the road, you’re very likely to fall or get into trouble.”

Reuters

Local police dispatched drones but a person could be overlooked amid bushes, expert said[/caption]

PA

A search team member with a search dog near to the village of Masca, Tenerife[/caption]

Doug Seeburg

Emergency workers called on volunteers to join the search on Saturday[/caption]

But he also said the hike is very popular so believes Jay must have wandered off the path.

“You just never know, maybe he thought he could make it to the coast. Obviously this is what the search and rescue teams will be looking for.

“If you venture off the road in this area and you see the type of terrain there you can see just how difficult this search and rescue operation is. Let’s hope he’s found.”

Mr Harrison also praised police search efforts and said everyone on the holiday island was praying for Jay’s safe return.

He added: “The Canarians are really rallying round, they are putting every effort into finding him and no one is judging him in any way, they just want him found and hopefully to go home safe.”

This comes as the founder and president of an influential Spanish missing persons association has urged Jay’s parents to be patient and said the search for him is in the best hands.

The teenager’s dad Warren Slater has expressed his frustration about being kept in the dark about any leads or clues being pursued by the Tenerife police.

But Joaquin Amills, who founded SOS Desaparecidos more than two decades ago following the disappearance of his own son, said today they could place their trust in the Civil Guard because it was a “top” police force.

He also said silence was “good” because it meant they were working hard behind the scenes to discover what happened.

“If I had Jay’s family in front of me I would tell them to confide in the Civil Guard because it’s a professional force and for me one of the best there is in Europe and they empathise fully with the pain families like this missing lad feel,” he explained.

“I would also tell them that the more silence there is from the Civil Guard, the more they’re working. That’s always the case.”

The expert’s claims that Jay may be alive come after police sources have warned that it is “very unlikely” the teenager has survived if he got lost in the mountains.

Yet authorities have said there are no plans to put a stop to the search yet, despite no signs of Jay.

Today police in Tenerife called on volunteers to join in a massive search operation for Jay.

The search has been organised to start at 9am Saturday morning in the area around Masca.

The police appeal specifies they are seeking only volunteer professionals, including firefighters and Civil Protection workers as well as people with expertise in the type of rough terrain officers have been working in.

Their cry for help comes despite them turning down help from their British counterparts as they insisted they had all the resources required.

Meanwhile, Jay’s best friend Brad – who he was on holiday with in Tenerife – said he could hear the missing teen slipping on rocks during a final video call.

Brad has opened up their last conversation, saying Jay wasn’t initially concerned about walking back to their accommodation.

He told Isla Traquair on ITV’s This Morning he could hear Jay’s feet slide on the rocks – signalling to him he’d gone off the road.

Brad said: “That’s how I knew he went off the road because, you know when you walk on gravel, or whatever it is, you can… you know what I mean, stones.”

He admitted, however, he wasn’t worried at that point as Jay reassured him he was fine – but he did tell his friend to put his location on.

Brad added: “We were both, like, laughing about it. He said: ‘look where I am’.”

He said Jay then cut off as he had another call waiting – but promised to phone back.

Ian Whittaker

Jay pictured at the NRG festival the night before he vanished[/caption]

Jay’s best friend Brad said he could hear the teen slipping on rocks during final callEroteme

Ian Whittaker

Father Slater expressed frustration about being kept in the dark[/caption]

Ian Whittaker

Civil police officers scour mountainous terrains close to where Jay went missing[/caption]