An inquest is under way into the death of Lancashire teenager Jay Slater who died after going missing while on holiday in Tenerife last year.

The inquest at Preston Coroner’s Court heard the 19-year-old’s friends had failed to attend to give their accounts of the tragic events which led to his death on the Spanish island last June.

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placeholder image — The inquest at Preston Coroner’s Court heard the 19-year-old’s friends had failed to attend to give their accounts of the tragic events which led to his death on the Spanish island last June. | submit

Lucy Law – who received a call from the 19-year-old last June saying he was lost and had 1 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.

“We can't find them, they have stopped responding to phone calls,' said the coroner, while 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.

Friend Lucy Law, who was the last known person to speak to Jay Slater during a phone call on June 17, issued a tribute on her Instagram page | LEP

Dr Adeley added: “When drugs are involved in a death, the witnesses are less than forthcoming and do not wish to speak to the authorities.”

Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, 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.

Jay decided to walk back to the apartment he was staying in with his friends. He called one, saying he was lost, thirsty, and his phone had one per cent battery, but never arrived at the apartment. He was reported missing and his mysterious disappearance sparked widespread public interest and social media conspiracy theories.

After a month-long search, Jay's body was found in a ravine on July 15 last year, near to where his phone last pinged. A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height.

Jay's body was returned to Lancashire for his funeral and Lancashire's Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley is expected to conclude the inquest with a final hearing in Preston today.