Jay Slater’s death accidental due to fall, coroner rules

Jay Slater’s death was accidental after falling from a height, a coroner has concluded.

The 19-year-old of Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, went missing in Tenerife on 17 June 2024, a huge search was launched, and his body was found in a ravine near the village of Masca on 15 July.

He had told his friends he was “in the middle of the mountains” and in need of a drink, as he attempted a 14-hour walk home the morning after taking drugs and alcohol on a night out, Preston Coroner’s Court was told on Thursday.

Coroner, Dr James Adeley said “Jay Dean Slater died an accidental death” without third-party influence.

He had a “wonderful life” and was a “joy to be around”, his mother told the inquest into his death which resumed on Thursday after it was adjourned in May so witnesses could be traced.

Debbie Duncan said: “He loved his family very much and was not afraid to show affection.”

She added her son had a “large circle of friends who have been left devastated” by his death.

“He was very loved and our hearts are broken,” Ms Duncan said.

In his conclusion, Dr Adeley said Mr Slater died on 17 June 2024 in a remote ravine in the Rural de Teno national park.

He fell in a “particularly dangerous area”, resulting in skull fractures and brain trauma, dying instantly.

Dr Adeley said Mr Slater had fallen up to 25m (82ft) and there was a fracture across the base of his skull, and another up the left side.

He added contributing factors to the fall may have been a lack of suitable clothing, sleep and mountain training, as well as potential after effects of drugs he had consumed.

There were also fractures on his pelvis in multiple places.

The impact of the skull was enough to cause non-survivable brain injuries, even if he received immediate medical help and death was likely instant, he said.

The coroner said he hoped it is of “some consolation to the family” that Mr Slater would not have been in pain.

When the coroner delivered his findings, Ms Duncan nodded and his father, Warren Slater, looked straight ahead arms folded, showing no emotion.

The coroner noted that on the night of 16 June 2024 and afterwards, there was “every indication” that Mr Slater’s friends who were accompanying him on the holiday were concerned about him, tried to find him and look after his welfare.

The inquest heard from Lucy Law who travelled to Tenerife with Mr Slater.

She recounted a phone call she received from a friend on the morning of 17 June 2024 when she was told Mr Slater was in the mountains and did not have much phone battery after he had left an Airbnb in Masca, a village miles from his holiday apartment in Los Cristianos.

Ms Law then described a subsequent phone call with Mr Slater – the last known outgoing communication from his phone – in which she asked him where he was and what he was doing.

She said: “He was like ‘I’m in the middle of the mountains’.”

Mr Slater told her there was “literally nothing” around, she added.

She added she was panicking because his battery was low, and asked him to go back to where he came from.

Bradley Geoghegan, on holiday with Mr Slater said his friend had taken ecstasy pills, and possibly ketamine, along with cocaine and alcohol, on the night out before he disappeared.

The next morning, Mr Geoghegan said he got a video call from Mr Slater, who was walking along a road and was still “under the influence”, the inquest heard.

Mr Geoghegan said: “I said put your maps on to see how far you were. It was like a 14-hour walk or an hour drive. I said, ‘Get a taxi back’, then he just goes, ‘I will ring you back’.”

He told the court he did not feel his friend was fearful. “I think he probably got there and thought, ‘Why am I here?’, sobered up and decided to come back,” he said.