The Manchester Evening News has visited the Airbnb where Jay Slater stayed the night before he went missing in Tenerife. The remote holiday rental, called Casa Abuela Tina, is situated just outside of the village of Masca.
It is thought 19-year-old Jay, who hasn’t been seen or heard from since Monday morning (June 17) had stayed there with people he met after attending a music festival. The owner later claimed she saw him on Monday walking uphill into the mountains alone.
Jay, from Lancashire, who was on his first holiday abroad without his parents, went missing on Monday after last speaking to his friend Lucy at around 8am. His last known location was where his phone ‘pinged’ in a vast mountainous area around half a mile north of Masca.
A huge search was launched by local police that continued for its fifth day on Friday (June 21). Search teams told the M.E.N. how they ‘still have hope’ he will be found alive – but expressed the difficulties in searching through the desolate and challenging landscapes. Drones, police dogs and helicopters have been deployed over the past few days along with mountain rescue teams, but there have so far been no developments.
Reporter James Holt visited the Airbnb as the desperate search operation continued. This is what he noticed…
The rental is miles from civilisation.
The holiday cottage is situated midway up a mountain, just outside of Masca. It takes around an hour to get to the popular resort of Los Cristianos – where Jay and his friends were staying in a booked apartment.
It was difficult to reach even by car. With just one road in and out, which is beside a steep cliff with nail-bitingly tight corners, it seemed only a few tourists visited the village, very much off the beaten track, to experience the views, the majority of which were on pre-booked tours.
There are only two restaurants within reasonable walking distance, and one bus stop that has services running between every 60 and 90 minutes, and only to Santiago del Teide and Lomo de Masca.
There are little footpaths or signed routes in the surrounding area for those who may be on foot, and taxis to and from the rental from other popular destinations would be extremely costly. It feels as though it is in the middle of nowhere.
The surrounding area and terrain are challenging and dangerous.
Upon visiting the Airbnb rental, it became clear that the area would be extremely difficult to navigate if you weren’t familiar with the surroundings. Especially on foot; with very steep, narrow and windy roads populated with cars driving at speed.
Travelling down into Masca would take around 15 minutes downhill, but going any further would realistically require some form of road transport; whether that be via car, taxi or bus.
Jay reportedly left the rental and walked uphill, further north of Tenerife. The next main village you would reach is Las Portelas, which takes around two hours on foot and involves hiking up mountains and along tricky roads and paths.
There are only a few accommodation options nearby.
The rental is not in a popular resort surrounded by hotels, apartments, shops and restaurants. It is discreetly nestled at the side of a road. Blink – and you’d surely miss it.
The accommodation, with breathtaking views of the landscape, would certainly be ideal for families, or those that have hired a car and already know their way around the island.
There are only three other hotels within 7 kilometres of Masca, the area currently being searched to find missing Jay, all of which are tucked away within the mountainous landscape.