Haunting final photo of Jay Slater taken just hours before he died

The last photo ever taken of teenagerJay Slatershows him beaming with joy, captured just hours before his tragic death.

The 19-year-old's death is set to be explored in Channel 4's The Disappearance of Jay Slater, which features interviews with Jay's friends, family andthose he saw shortly before his death in Tenerife.

After spending the night at the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas, Jay left a club with two strangers - Ayub Qassim and Steven Roccas - early the next morning to head to their Airbnb in Masca.

In the last photo of him alive, Jay was snapped sitting in the rear of a vehicle as he was transported to an Airbnb property an hour's drive from Playa de las Americas, where he had been celebrating with mates.

What is thought to be amongst the last images of Jay was presented to Preston Coroner's Court during his inquest.

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The picture shows him grinning broadly in the back of the car, while Stephen Roccas was sleeping in the front passenger seat ahead of him.

Mr Roccas was summoned to provide testimony at the inquest, but attempts to reach him proved fruitless.

The driver, convicted drugs trafficker Ayub Qassim, participated in the inquest through video connection.

Merely hours afterwards, after waking up at the property in the early morning, Jay tried to trek home and tumbled into a gorge.

Jay was discovered 29 days after he vanished by two members of the Spanish mountain rescue team in the Juan Lopez ravine on July 15, 2024.

He was located eight metres above the dried riverbed. His rucksack was discovered 20 metres distant containing his mobile and passport.

He is thought to have plummeted 20 to 30 metres.

Coroner Dr James Adeley confirmed Jay's remains were formally recognised using his finger and palm prints.

A post-mortem examination revealed his body had experienced "extensive mummification" owing to exposure to the scorching sun for numerous weeks.

An inquest into his death in July disclosed his death from head trauma was accidental. His mum, Debbie Duncan, delivered a heart-wrenching statement before the verdict was announced this morning, stating that her son's death had "touch the hearts of the nation".

Ms Duncan painted a picture of 19 year old Jay who had "almost qualified" as a bricklayer and led "a wonderful life". She mentioned how Jay "loved going abroad every year and was always the centre of attention".

Jay was "always a popular boy and had many, many friends", his mum added. He also "loved his family very much".

"We never saw what was coming," she confessed. "He had a large circle of good friends who have been left devastated at his tragic death. Our lives will never be the same without Jay in it."