Jay Slater's dad insists he is "leaving it to the professionals" rather than hunt himself in dangerous terrain for the missing teenager.
Warren Slater, 58, conceded he has been trolled for not joining the massive search operation today for the 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer, who vanished nearly two weeks ago in Tenerife.
"I’m grateful to those who have come out here because you can see just how dangerous it is and what gets me is the trollers who are having a go at us for not searching," Warren said today.
"It’s not the local park, these are big mountains, the terrain is dangerous, put yourself in our position would you go out in these conditions? It’s tough, it’s hard, we are leaving it to the professionals and I’m grateful for those who have turned out today and I want to thank them for what they are doing.”
But the search through the rugged Rural de Teno garnered nothing of significant note. It means the operation is likely to enter a 14th day on Sunday - without yet been scaled back officially. Speaking after today's activity, Warren added: "I just thought he’s gone out had a drink and ended up at some girl’s place as we all did when we were younger, he’s our youngest I just want him home.
"We just still can’t believe it; it’s been so tough on us, and I want people to think about us as parents and what we are going through. All those trollers having a go at us, they don’t know how we feel, why don’t they come up here and have a look and see for themselves how dangerous it is."
The search currently centres a steep rocky area, including ravines, trails and paths, near the village of Masca, Jay's last known location.
Brigadier Cipriano Martin, chief of the Guardia Civil's mountain rescue team, said the teenager, of Lancashire, would not have travelled to "any area we don't go to".
Speaking through a translator, he told the BBC: "There are difficult areas and we've given instructions for people not to risk their own safety. But there's something we need to make clear, which is any area we don't go to, well, Jay won't have gone there either.
"You have to think about it logically - if I see there's vegetation in front of me and I'm going to get spiked, and I can't get through, then he won't have gone through that area either. We have to be logical, obviously."