My son vanished on holiday just like Jay Slater – the chilling similarities in case bring back traumatic memories
A DAD whose son vanished in Ibiza has said Jay Slater’s family will be going through a “never-ending nightmare”.
Mark Garland’s son Ben disappeared in January 2020 and never been found.
Ben, 24, was working as deckhand on a luxury yacht on the island when he went out for a ride on his Harley Davidson motorbike.
He wanted to film waves near Portinatx, but three days later his jacked was found in the water.
Mr Garland, from Wiltshire, said he fears his beloved son was swept out to sea and drowned.
He described the initial days after Ben’s disappearance as “traumatic” – but urged Jay’s parents not to give up.
And he compared the case to that of missing Jay – with the family facing the same agony he did.
During the more than three week search for Ben, police found around 20 bodies in the water – but not one of them was his son.
The 19-year-old, from Lancashire, has been missing for ten days after vanishing in Tenerife.
Bus driver Mr Garland told Sky News: “It’s the not knowing, it’s a never-ending nightmare, it’s torture, absolute torture. It’s something I wouldn’t wish on anybody.
“Jay’s parents will be feeling empty, they’re going to be tired. They will be confused, they will just be wanting answers.
“I hope and pray Jay is found safe and well.”
Mr Garland said he will never get over his son’s disappearance.
It comes as Jay’s family wait for answers as a mammoth search operation continues ten days into to hunt for the teen.
Helicopters, drones and dogs are combing the island, with search crews focusing their efforts on the 2,000ft Masca ravine in the north.
It is where his phone last pinged a nearby cell tower at 8.50am on June 17.
After going to a rave on the night of June 16, Jay headed to Masca, on with two British men he had met that evening.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay stayed at their rented Airbnb for a couple of hours before trying to make his way back to his holiday accommodation last Monday morning.
- Tenerife cops draft in specialist sniffer dogs to find Jay
- Brit cops haven’t questioned two men Jay was last with
- Madeleine McCann cop jets to Tenerife to join search
- Mayor says locals think they’ve spotted Jay watching Euros
- Jay’s mum says she’s ‘barely slept’ as teen’s ex flies to Tenerife
- Brit hiker ‘rescued’ by Jay search teams says he didn’t need saving
- Jay’s machete attack victim backs search for teen
- Teen’s friend slam fake death posts on social media
He made a final frantic call to friend Lucy Law, telling her he was lost in the “middle of nowhere” with no water and had just one per cent battery on his phone.
Police sources in Tenerife have told The Sun a TV appeal could be on the cards as they struggle to find any trace of Jay.
Cops on the island yesterday drafted in reinforcements with specialist sniffer dog teams.
Search dog units trained specially to comb large areas have been flown in from Madrid some 1,300 miles away.
But search cops say the new dogs are much better trained to handle the vast landscape.
Meanwhile, Jay’s friends have blasted warped conspiracy theorists and idiotic TikTok sleuths who have jetted to Tenerife in a twisted bid to join the hunt.
Mindless wannabe sleuths have taken it upon themselves to attempt to investigate Jay’s disappearance.
Sat behind their computers 2,000 miles away in the UK, internet trolls are peddling wild conspiracy theories and baseless claims.
Many are using Google maps to scour the desolate Rural de Teno park to hunt for clues before plastering their wild thoughts over social media.
Thousands of keyboard bashers have also joined pathetic Facebook groups, including one called Jay Slater Discussions and Theories.
Within the publicly visible groups are dozens of cruel, senseless posts spewing completely unfounded claims and vile comments.
Most are posted anonymously or by trolls using spurious names.
Warped memes about Jay’s disappearance have also been shared within the groups.
Far-fetched theories suggest Jay could have been kidnapped after crossing “Moroccan drugs gangs” or that the mafia is behind his disappearance.
Jay’s pal Megan Blair called out trolls and warned them to stop spreading ridiculous claims.
She said: “Can everyone stop believing everything they see on TikTok, the stories aren’t true and just things people are making up.
“I honestly think it’s disgusting, there are people going live with the caption “finding Jay”.
“If you are helping to find Jay then do it without using him as a way to gain followers.
“He isn’t just a pawn in your way to get fame. This is somebody’s son and friend and there are people who are genuinely worried.”
Timeline of Jay Slater’s disappearance
By Ellie Doughty, Foreign News Reporter
SUNDAY JUNE 16 – MONDAY 17
Jay goes to a rave at the 2024 NRG music festival in Tenerife, around Arona on the south of the island
8.35pm – Jay posts a smiling Snapchat video of him laughing with friends
He leaves the rave with two men he met that day and is driven back to their accommodation across the island
MONDAY 17
7.30am – Jay posts a Snapchat of a hand holding a cigarette in the area where the accommodation was – near the rural de Teno Park on the north of the island
8.30am – Jay calls his friend Lucy Law and tells her he missed a bus, had one per cent of battery left on his phone and was stuck in the “middle of nowhere”
9am – A missing persons report is filed and the search for Jay begins
TUESDAY 18
2am – Police knock on the door of Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan’s home and tell her to catch the first flight out to Tenerife
7am – She flies out from Manchester Airport alongside her son Zak to help with the search
Debbie is sent a Snapchat message saying “Kiss goodbye to your boy, you’re never going to see him again, he owes me a lot of money.”
WEDNESDAY 19
12.30pm – Police move the search to the south of the island briefly after a false sighting
Cops search his hotel room for clues as his mum says there was “nothing untoward there”
Debbie gives a heart-wrenching interview where she shares fears he has been “taken” and says “I just want my baby back”
THURSDAY 20
Cops begin day four of the massive search for Jay
FRIDAY 21
Lancashire cops offer to help with the search but Tenerife authorities say they are “satisfied that they have the resources they need”
Search turns to 22,000ft ravine in Masca – part of an area dubbed “the badlands” by locals
SATURDAY 22
The sixth day of the search begins with sniffer dogs, cops, mountain rescue and firefighters again taking to the hills in northern Tenerife
Possible new sighting of Jay places him near a church with two men at 6pm on Monday – although unconfirmed by police
Jay’s dad Warren and brother Zak visit the search site in Tenerife
SUNDAY 23
Cops focus their search around small outbuildings in de Teno park near where Jay’s phone last pinged
Jay’s mum Debbie says trolls are comparing her to Karen Matthews
The GoFundMe set up by Jay’s friend Lucy surpasses £30,000 after just three days
Exclusive Sun footage shows Jay appearing to fall and stumble back up at a rave before he vanished
MONDAY 24
Search for Jay enters eighth day
Police expand search area north to parts of Buenavista del Norte
Jay’s dad says his family are in ‘a living hell’
TUESDAY 25
Brit hiker found by Jay search teams says he ‘didn’t need to be saved’
Madeleine McCann cop lands in Tenerife to join search
Tenerife cops call in reinforcements from Madrid – including specialist sniffer dogs