The family of Kevin Ainley, a 24-year-old Brit who disappeared in Tenerife two decades ago, has come forward to share their concerns about the island's dangers following the disappearance of Jay Slater. Kevin vanished on June 13th, 2004, almost 20 years to the day before Jay, a 19-year-old who went missing without a trace last month.
Gemma Brooke, Kevin's sister, has highlighted the "heartbreaking" similarities between the two cases and described Tenerife as "a very dangerous place."
Kevin Ainley, also from Lancashire, moved to Tenerife in February 2004 from his hometown of Fleetwood, which is only 40 miles from Oswaldtwistle, where the Slater family resides, to work in bars in the busy tourist area of Playa Las Americas.
In an interview with The Sun, Gemma spoke about the emotional impact of her brother's disappearance, especially given the timing and similarities: "The fact that it’s been 20 years since Kevin disappeared and that the Euros are being held is heartbreaking. The island is a very dangerous place."
Kevin worked in a bar in The Patch in Las Américas giving out leaflets, not far from the area where Jay attended a music festival the night before he disappeared. Gemma recalled the early days of her family's nightmare: "We were told Kevin had been missing for a week. This was the beginning of our nightmare. Our mother went to the police station in Fleetwood to report his disappearance."
Kevin was last seen walking toward a bar in Playa de las Américas after having lunch with a friend at a nearby Chinese restaurant called Merlins, and has never been seen again. In 2005, two Lancashire officers travelled to Tenerife to assist the local police in the search but found no leads. Gemma emphasised the enduring pain her family has faced: "It’s no exaggeration to say we’ve lived through years of nightmare. Someone must know something."
Two decades have passed, and there have been no updates on Kevin’s case. On June 13th, just days before Jay Slater disappeared, Gemma posted on a Facebook page dedicated to her brother: "It never gets easier… the well of emptiness that lives in our family. I miss you so much."
The eerie similarities between the disappearances of Kevin Ainley and Jay Slater have reignited concerns about safety in Tenerife, leaving both families desperate for answers and closure.
