Could Irishman Ryan Cooney’s Tenerife disappearance offer hope for Jay Slater’s family?

Irishman Ryan Cooney’s disappearance in Tenerife may offer some hope for the family of missing British teen Jay Slater.

The 19-year-old went missing on Monday, June 17 after he walked back to his accommodation after attending a festival on the island, launching a search that has gripped the world.

Mr Slater missed the return bus back to his accommodation and rang his friend Lucy Law on Monday morning (June 17) to tell her his phone was on 1%. His last known location was around 11 hours away from his accommodation by foot.

Spanish police confirmed last week that the search for Mr Slater has been called off, following an intense search involving dogs, drones and a helicopter.

However, the case of Irishman Ryan Cooney, who disappeared on the same Spanish island, may offer a glimmer of hope to the Slater family.

The Duleek, Co Meath native, who was 28 years old at the time, was last seen leaving his accommodation at Paraiso del Sol apartments in Playa de las Americas on November 9, 2023.

Family members travelled to Tenerife to help in the search with friends and local police.

When Mr Cooney first went missing, a friend who was understood to be holidaying with him, said in a social media post: ‘Ryan please you have me worried sick. I told you everything will be ok. Please just come back.’

Ryan wasn’t seen for days until he was eventually found safe and well four days later on Monday, November 13.

However, Mr Cooney had two black eyes after an alleged assault which also resulted in all his money being taken along with his mobile phone.

It comes as Lancashire teen Jay Slater’s father has called for Interpol to take over the search for his son after he hit out at the lack of officials assisting.

Warren Slater told the Daily Mail: ‘We need to, as a full family, do a proper press conference and ask the British authorities to help. He’s a British citizen. Get Interpol involved.

‘It’s just us. I haven’t got a team. We need a team to come over here and find out for us what the police are doing and what we need to do.’

He added: ‘Our hands are tied over here, we need experts. How long can you stay here for? It’ll take an army 10 years to cover all this. I’d employ a team of Gurkhas.’