Irish mum goes missing in Tenerife as police bring in dogs for desperate search
A massive search has been launched for an Irish woman missing in Tenerife. Local police are reportedly using dogs in their attempts to find 50-year-old Merlene Davies as concern grows for her wellbeing.
Her family reported her missing after she failed to return to her home in Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the evening of July 7. Deborah Clarke-Topper wrote on the Missing Persons Tenerife Facebook site she runs early this afternoon: 'Merlene Davies, 50 years old, an Irish citizen, has been missing from her home in Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, since the 7th July 2025. It is unclear exactly what time she left but was not there as expected in the evening.
'Her family has reported the disappearance to the police, who are conducting a physical search, including with dogs. She is about 1m65 in height and of slim build.'
Her sister Bronwyn Kloppers added in a separate social media a message: 'Please help us to find my sister. She left her home on Tuesday morning, time unknown and has not been seen since. A missing persons case has been opened with authorities and they are currently searching for her.
'She should be in the area of Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Tenerife. Please contact local authorities immediately if she is found.'
She said: 'As I understand, last contact with her daughters was on Monday evening. Her one daughter went out with her father on Tuesday morning and upon returning realised that she was not there.'
Well-placed sources said Merlene, thought to be a mum-of-two, could strictly speaking have gone missing anytime between 11pm on Monday and around 8am on Tuesday.
It is not known where in Ireland she is from or how long she has been living in Tenerife. Anyone with any information on Merlene's whereabouts can email enquiries@missingpersonstenerife.com or call the group on (0034) 822 130 739.
Police on the island have not yet made any official comment.
Tenerife's mountainous interior is no stranger to missing person cases.
Last year the country was captivated by the disappearance of Jay Slater. He was a British 19-year-old went missing following a night out in Tenerife. Friends and family launched a desperate search for him after his disappearance on Monday, June 17 2024. Spanish police confirmed a body was found almost a month later.
The 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared after attending the NRG music festival with friends on the Spanish island in June last year. After a major search operation lasting nearly a month, his remains were discovered in steep, rocky terrain near the remote village of Masca.
Investigator Mark Williams-Thomas has revealed new details about the case - including a final chat between Jay and a pal Brandon Hodgson, who was partying with the teenager on the night before he went missing.
The two were messaging and talking on Snapchat video from the Airbnb rental in Masca on the morning that Jay left the secluded building and vanished. Brandon told Mark Williams-Thomas how he called Jay when he decided to walk back to Los Cristianos, where he was originally staying - a distance that would take approximately 10 hours on foot. "He said, 'I've started walking', he was laughing at first, then he sent me his location," said Brandon.
"On the phone he said to me 'I've been walking for half an hour', I told him to go back and he said, 'I've already been walking for half an hour, I'm not going back, I don't want to go back, I just want to go home."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
41 minutes ago
- Metro
Passengers trapped after bus leaves road in Somerset crash
Emergency services have descended on an A-road in Somerset after a bus crash trapped passengers onboard. The A396 is closed in both directions near Wheddon Cross, with fire, police and more than six ambulances all on scene. A local pub, The Rest and Be Thankful, near Exmoor, is working as an emergency centre for the crash. Avon and Somerset Police said: 'Emergency services are responding to a collision on the A396 Cutcombe Hill, between Wheddon Cross and Timbercombe. 'Calls came in at about 3 pm reporting a bus had left the road near the junction with Ashwell Lane and Steart Lane. 'Most passengers have been taken off the bus. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service are working to free the remaining occupants, and the ambulance service is also on the scene. 'We have no confirmed information on the number of casualties or the level of injuries. Emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for responding to such incidents.' More Trending Initial reports have claimed the bus was carrying children on a school trip but this hasn't been confirmed. South Western Ambulance Service said they are responding to the scene. The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance left and landed in Bristol. MP Rachel Gilmour said: 'I have heard news about a distressing road traffic incident around Wheddon Cross this afternoon. 'Emergency services are present, so please give them space to work. My thoughts are with all involved in the incident.' Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: Mile long queues of traffic after five car pile-up on M4 MORE: Warning as two huge venomous tarantulas go missing in post MORE: Man 'dismembered' couple and froze remains before dumping them off bridge
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Fujitsu ‘kicking can down the road' on compensation, says Post Office campaigner
Conservative peer Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom, who played a pivotal role in exposing the outrage, accused the Japanese tech giant of holding out with a view to reducing the amount it would ultimately have to pay. He argued the only way to change the under-fire company's attitude would be for the Government to stop awarding it contracts. Despite its involvement in the Post Office debacle, the firm has continued to secure multimillion-pound deals with Whitehall, bankrolled by the taxpayer. Fujitsu has already acknowledged it has a 'moral obligation' to contribute to compensation, pending the outcome of the public inquiry led by Sir Wyn Williams. The firm has come under renewed pressure after the publication of the first part of Sir Wyn's final report. It found around 1,000 people were wrongly prosecuted and convicted after Fujitsu's defective Horizon accounting system made it appear that money was missing at their Post Office branches. Some victims were sent to prison or financially ruined, others were shunned by their communities, and some took their own lives. The long-running battle for justice accelerated dramatically after ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which highlighted the scandal. Sir Wyn said around 10,000 people are eligible to submit compensation claims following what has been dubbed as the worst miscarriage of justice in British legal history. Speaking in Parliament, Lord Arbuthnot said: 'This matter has taken place over many years, under Labour ministers, Lib Dem ministers, Conservative ministers, 'We should all, frankly, hang our heads in shame.' He added: 'I went along to The Oval last week to listen to Sir Wyn give his excellent report, and he used a telling phrase about Fujitsu, namely that they were kicking the can down the road. 'That's exactly what they are doing. 'The longer they think they can stave off paying a single penny towards the victims of this matter, the less they think they will have to pay. 'Does the Government recognise that the only way we can change that behaviour is to stop giving them contracts?' Responding, business minister Baroness Jones of Whitchurch said: 'I must pay absolute tribute to him for all of his involvement in this running scandal over many years, and for helping to bring the scandal to light.' She said the Government was in 'active dialogue' with Fujitsu on the issue of compensation. The company has said it will not bid for contracts 'with new Government customers' until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes. However, this still leaves it open to tender for work with existing Whitehall clients or 'where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu's skills and capabilities'. Latest figures show a further 12 new deals had been struck with the company over the last year, in addition to extensions of existing contracts. The Government has said the majority are for services already provided by Fujitsu and were put in place to ensure continuity of services. Lady Jones told peers: 'The extent of Fujitsu's role on the scandal is not fully known, and therefore we feel it would be inappropriate for the Government to take further action until we have all parts of the inquiry before us.' A Fujitsu spokesperson said: 'We have apologised for, and deeply regret, our role in subpostmasters' suffering. We hope for a swift resolution that ensures a just outcome for the victims. 'We are considering the recommendations set out by Sir Wyn in volume one of the inquiry's report, and are engaged with Government regarding Fujitsu's contribution to compensation.'
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Chilling new details about final days of ‘American Idol' boss and her husband shot dead in their $4.5m mansion
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A CLOSE family friend has revealed disturbing details about the shooting deaths of American Idol executive Robin Kaye and her husband. Kaye and Thomas Deluca, both 70, were found dead inside their $4.5 million Los Angeles, California, mansion on Monday afternoon. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 American Idol music supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, have been killed in a brutal double homicide Credit: Facebook 4 They were found dead inside their home in Los Angeles, California Credit: ABC7 4 The couple had gunshot wounds to the head Credit: ABC7 4 A close family friend said they had moved to the neighborhood to be 'safe' Credit: Fox News Digital They both had shooting wounds to the head, and suspect Raymond Boodarian, 22, has been arrested and accused of killing them. Cops said the accused murderer was inside their home for 30 minutes before the couple walked in and accidentally confronted him. The horrific break-in came after the successful couple had a burglar bust into their home on May 19. Ever since that incident, they had been desperately trying to crack down on security. They reportedly spoke to a bodyguard service and security consultant to try and get peace of mind after their home in Encino was targeted. One friend, who didn't give his name, said the couple "added spikes" to the top of the six-foot fence protecting their property, he told Fox News. "They had spikes on the other side of the fence, and obviously updated their video surveillance as well," he said. "They had video surveillance already." Kaye, who headed up the music department for American Idol, and Deluca, who was a successful songwriter, were remembered as friendly people who had no enemies, according to the friend. They had "moved to Encino because they wanted to be safe," he said. "They were living life to the fullest. They traveled a lot. They have some great animals," the friend explained. "They have a turtle that they found at their first house they bought when they moved to LA, and they've taken their turtle with them every place." American Idol music supervisor Robin Kaye on what its like to make 'American Idol' The friend said the couple felt confident that the intruder wouldn't "be back" after imposing the new measures. 'VERY SHAKEN' Guy Cohen, a security consultant who works with SecureIT Homes, said that he worked with Kaye and Deluca after the break-in. He said a burglar had shattered the home's glass back door and was confronted by Kaye, who screamed when she saw the intruder. The intruder ran away after the music executive saw him, Cohen told Fox News. "Obviously they're very shaken and they were looking for solution," he said. "They came to us and we were there to consult them [...] help them through the situation." SecureIT was planning on installing shatter-resistant window film, an early detection system around their home, and a custom-built panic room in Kaye's closet this month, Cohen said. "Unfortunately, we couldn't get there in time and they still have their original systems in place," he said. The couple's close friend has remembered them as "very talented" and said that Kaye "excelled in her job." "They're just really wonderful people," he said.
