Jay Slater’s holiday friends ‘can’t be found’ as inquest hears details of how tragic 19-year-old died
21 May 2025, 11:29 | Updated: 21 May 2025, 12:09
Two friends Jay Slater was on holiday with in Tenerife before he vanished "can't be located", an inquest heard today.
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The 19-year-old's body was found after a 29-day search in a ravine in the remote Rural de Teno National Park last July after an agonising 29-day search.
Lucy Law – who received a call from the 19-year-old last June saying he was lost, had only one per cent charge on his phone and needed water – is among those who could not be traced to give evidence, a coroner heard today.
As proceedings began, Lancashire senior coroner Dr James Adeley said police had unsuccessfully tried to contact Ms Law and several of Mr Slater's other British friends.
Read More: Drug dealer who spent final hours with Jay Slater breaks silence on their last meeting
He said: "We can't find them, they have stopped responding to phone calls. When drugs are involved in a death, the witnesses are less than forthcoming and do not wish to speak to the authorities."Mr Slater's parents Debbie Duncan, 55, and father Warren Slater, 58, listened in silence as the hearing got underway at Preston Coroner's Court.
Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, had attended the NRG Festival at Papagayo, in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife on June 16 last year.
But after becoming separated from his friends following the all-night rave he went back to an AirBnB holiday cottage in the remote village of Masca with the two Britons, convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim, 31, and another man.
The apprentice bricklayer was last seen alive leaving the white-washed house at around 7.30am on June 17.
A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height.
As Jay's body was returned to Lancashire for his funeral, Lancashire's Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley opened an inquest, and the final hearing is taking place today.
